Are ants beneficial insects or pests?

Ants generally refer to the family Formicidae, which is a kind of insect with social life habits and is widely distributed all over the world. Is it a beneficial insect or a pest? What are the habits of life?

Are ants beneficial insects or pests?

Ants refer to the family Formicidae, with both beneficial insects and pests. For example, the small black ants we usually see outdoors are beneficial insects, which can digest part of the food waste and scraps and improve the environment to a certain extent. But like termites are pests, they will eat trees, furniture and so on, which is harmful to human beings.

What are the living habits of ants?

1. food

Lower species of ants are carnivorous, feeding on insects, small animals and even sick and dead large animals; higher species of stinky ants, leaf-cutting ants and ants can feed on animals and plants, especially honeydew secreted by aphids and scale insects; most other ants are omnivorous and feed on seeds, fruits, insects and so on. Among them, the ants of the subfamily Formicinae and the marching subfamily generally eat only meat as food.

two。 Reproduction

Ants generally go through the stages of egg, larva, pupa and adult, which usually takes 15-20 days. Only the queen gives birth, and the queen can live as long as 20 years.

3. Existence

Ants are social insects that live in groups and have a strong love of nests. Most species nest in the ground or on trees, and have mixed food habits, generally planting and meat. The ant nest is generally regarded as a family. There are one or dozens of queens (females) in a nest. Worker ants specialize in nesting, foraging, raising young, etc., with the largest number.

Ant is an insect with certain medicinal value, which has the functions of anti-inflammation, analgesia, sedation, spasmolysis, convulsion and so on. But we should not randomly go outside to catch ants to make wine, so as to avoid other adverse consequences.