Why do ants bite us?
Many ants are often equipped with powerful mandibles (jaws) that can inflict a painful bite. Others have the ability to sting and inject chemicals such as formic acid. Ants use these means of defence to protect their colonies against threat. The Bullet ant from South America is believed to have the most painful sting amongst insects. What do ants eat? Depending on their species, ants may be carnivorous, i.e. preying on insects and other small animals, or herbivorous, i.e. living on seeds, leaves, fruits, and other vegetable matter. Some are scavengers and feed on dead or decaying matter. However, some ants have specialised feeding habits. They ‘rear’ or ‘farm’ their own food! For instance, certain ants live on a sugary substance called ‘honeydew’ that is produced by aphids (small insects that live on plant sap). To ensure a constant supply of honeydew, these ants rear aphids, just the way we rear cows for milk. The ants look after their aphid ‘herds’, tending to their needs, and protec
