How many years can the ants live.

The lifespan of an ant varies significantly depending on the species. Different ant species have different life expectancies, and factors such as environmental conditions and the ant's role within the colony can also influence their lifespan. In general, worker ants, which are the sterile female ants that gather food and perform other tasks within the colony, have relatively short lifespans compared to the queen ant. Worker ants usually live anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. On the other hand, the queen ant, who is responsible for laying eggs and maintaining the colony, can have a much longer lifespan. Some queen ants can live for several years, and in some species, they can live for several decades. The queen's primary role is to reproduce and ensure the survival and growth of the colony.

i think its kidna cool how the ants have hair on them to catch pollen and spread it around.

Many insects have "hair" on them, look at this image of a fruit fly (Drosophila): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drosophila_melanogaster_Proboscis.jpg I am not sure it is accurate to say that they are for spreading pollen, this would not benefit the ant, so they likely would not have evolved it if that were its function.

What _is_ the *green* thing in the image above?

The green plant is a plant full of sweet honeydew. Aphids extract it, and the ants eat those aphids to keep that plant clean.

What kind of ant is that?

_Underneath the image there is a caption; the caption reads,_ 'Carpenter ants and aphids can have a mutualistic relationship. The ants get food from a sugary liquid given off by the aphids. The aphids get protection from the ants.'

i think it is cool how the ants protect the aphids and they are friends i did not know what and aphids is at all please help thank you

Aphids are often considered pests, enough so that farmers sometimes go as far to release aphid-eating ladybugs on their fields to keep the aphid population under control. Hope this helps!

Main content

Course: Middle school biology - NGSS > Unit 4

Lesson 3: Ecological interactions

Competitive, predatory, and mutualistic interactions

Google Classroom

Review your understanding of competitive, predatory, and mutualistic interactions in this free article aligned to NGSS standards.

Key points:

Across all ecosystems, organisms interact in specific ways.
- Competitive interactions happen when organisms compete for the same set of resources.
- Predatory interactions happen when one organism hunts and eats another organism. The organism doing the eating is a predator. The organism being eaten is the prey.
- Mutualistic interactions happen when two organisms of different species benefit from interacting with each other. In some cases, organisms in a mutualistic relationship even require each other for survival.

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Angela Tian
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Is there a scientific term for when two organisms of the same species benefit off each other or work together? If so, what is it called?
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How many years can the ants live.
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- JaJaden1
  Posted 9 months ago. Direct link to JaJaden1's post “The lifespan of an ant va...”
  The lifespan of an ant varies significantly depending on the species. Different ant species have different life expectancies, and factors such as environmental conditions and the ant's role within the colony can also influence their lifespan.
  
  In general, worker ants, which are the sterile female ants that gather food and perform other tasks within the colony, have relatively short lifespans compared to the queen ant. Worker ants usually live anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
  
  On the other hand, the queen ant, who is responsible for laying eggs and maintaining the colony, can have a much longer lifespan. Some queen ants can live for several years, and in some species, they can live for several decades. The queen's primary role is to reproduce and ensure the survival and growth of the colony.
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  (6 votes)
stickers
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to stickers's post “i think it is cool how th...”
i think it is cool how the ants protect the aphids and they are friends i did not know what and aphids is at all please help thank you
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- Adonalsium
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Adonalsium's post “Aphids are often consider...”
  Aphids are often considered pests, enough so that farmers sometimes go as far to release aphid-eating ladybugs on their fields to keep the aphid population under control. Hope this helps!
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masont33
Posted a year ago. Direct link to masont33's post “Predatory interactions ha...”
Predatory interactions happen when one organism hunts and eats another organism. The organism doing the eating is a predator. The organism being eaten is the prey.
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jiakazim
Posted 10 months ago. Direct link to jiakazim's post “What _is_ the *green* thi...”
What is the green thing in the image above?
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- Drifting
  Posted 10 months ago. Direct link to Drifting's post “The green plant is a plan...”
  The green plant is a plant full of sweet honeydew. Aphids extract it, and the ants eat those aphids to keep that plant clean.
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Adam 2023
Posted a year ago. Direct link to Adam 2023's post “What kind of ant is that?”
What kind of ant is that?
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- jiakazim
  Posted 10 months ago. Direct link to jiakazim's post “_Underneath the image the...”
  Underneath the image there is a caption; the caption reads, 'Carpenter ants and aphids can have a mutualistic relationship. The ants get food from a sugary liquid given off by the aphids. The aphids get protection from the ants.'
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Octo Girl
Posted 8 months ago. Direct link to Octo Girl's post “Why are the ants eating t...”
Why are the ants eating the plant?!
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how is everyone doing? how has your day been? :)
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i think its kidna cool how the ants have hair on them to catch pollen and spread it around.
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- 490139
  Posted 4 months ago. Direct link to 490139's post “Many insects have "hair" ...”
  Many insects have "hair" on them, look at this image of a fruit fly (Drosophila):
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drosophila_melanogaster_Proboscis.jpg
  I am not sure it is accurate to say that they are for spreading pollen, this would not benefit the ant, so they likely would not have evolved it if that were its function.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)