Ants are born from eggs laid by queen ants (and in some rare species, by worker ants). The life cycle from egg to adult involves complete metamorphosis.
Here's a breakdown of the ant birth process:
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Egg Laying: The queen ant's primary role is to lay eggs. These eggs are tiny and oval-shaped. Fertile eggs (those that will hatch into female ants) need to be fertilized by the sperm that the queen stores after her mating flight. Unfertilized eggs develop into male ants.
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Larval Stage: The egg hatches into a larva, which resembles a small, legless worm. Larvae are voracious eaters.
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Larval Feeding: Worker ants (sterile female ants) feed the larvae. The diet can vary but usually consists of regurgitated food or special trophic eggs.
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Pupal Stage: After several molts (shedding of their skin), the larva enters the pupal stage. During this stage, the larva develops a hard outer casing, similar to a cocoon. Inside the pupa, the ant undergoes a complete transformation. The pupa might resemble a white ant adult, and during this phase, the legs and antennae are folded against the body.
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Emergence: After a period of time inside the pupal casing, a fully formed adult ant emerges. The newly emerged ant is typically pale in color and soft-bodied. It takes some time for the exoskeleton to harden and darken to its final color.
In summary, ants are born from eggs laid by the queen. These eggs hatch into larvae, which are fed and cared for by worker ants. The larvae then enter a pupal stage, where they transform into adult ants.
