The Probert Encyclopaedia of Nature

FORMICOIDEA

Formicoidea is the ant super-family of insects of the sub-order Apocrita, order Hymenoptera. Ants are small or medium sized, mostly yellow, brownish, brownish-black or black in colour and with angled antennae of up to fifteen segments. The petiole between the thorax and abdomen is either a knot-like single segment, or bearing a vertical scale, or two-segmented. Ants live communally, the nest being founded by the female who either finds her own site or penetrates a nest of some other ants - either of her own species or another. An ant nest contains three castes: one or more queens; workers; and at certain periods winged males. The queen ant is originally winged, but after the mating flight sheds her wings. The workers are either all identical, or occur in several forms - large headed worker ants are popularly known as 'soldier ants'. Ants are omnivorous and often cultivate aphids for their secretions.
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