Ant

Ant, insect of order Hymenoptera (which also includes bees and wasps), family Formicidae, living in communities consisting of males, females, and infertile worker females. An ant colony may contain thousands and even millions of ants organized into a highly socialized community. The queen ant's function is to produce eggs. The female worker ant (there are no male worker ants) is responsible for food, protection, and building the nest. The male's singular function is to mate and die quickly. Ants are found in all parts of the planet but prefer warmer climates. An ant is usually under 1 inch (2.5 cm) in height and black, brown, or red in color. It usually lives in tunnels beneath the earth or mounds of its own making. The two antennae on the head provide the ability to hear, smell, touch, and taste, although other areas of the body can taste and touch. The ant has no ears. It has acquired a reputation for remarkable strength because it can lift 50 times its own weight. The ant produces a humming or buzzing sound capable of detection by the human ear.