DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
They inhabit eastern Africa. They live mainly in the soil and in underground chambers.
BEHAVIOUR
Ants are social insects. They live in colonies in which each group has specific roles. We distinguish the queen, workers of different castes, and males (drones).
DIET
They produce “ant bread” – a paste made from collected seeds. They also feed on other insects.
REPRODUCTION
Males develop from unfertilized eggs, their role is to take part in the nuptial flight and fertilize females, after which they die from exhaustion. The queen stores sperm in her spermatheca for life and then lays eggs from which diverse offspring develop – over her lifetime, she lays millions of eggs.
GOOD TO KNOW
They are the largest ants of the genus Messor in the world, and also among the most beautifully colored.
- Latin name: Messor cephalotes
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