Ant Hills: 13 Most Asked Questions Answered (About Colonies, Species ...)

There is no denying the fact that men have made some of the most brilliant homes of all time. However, humans don’t remain the only species to do so. If you are not aware, you will be shocked to know that several animals, birds, and even insects put in gargantuan efforts to make some of the most amazing homes.

Here, you will find details of ant hill inside because the ant colonies are one of the hardest and smartest working colonies and the ant homes could sometimes be a real treat and spell shock and awe.

You will learn a lot about ant hill inside as we will be covering several aspects and commonly asked questions about the topic.

Do All Ants Have A Home?

The anthill that serves as the home for ants isn’t something that all ants get the privilege to stay in. Some of them live in colonies made on the ground while others simply choose to stay in the crevices of the walls as they don’t have an elaborate home.

Some of them come together and work hard to make an ant hill. All these ants stay in the ant hills.

Which Ant Species Is Known For Making Anthills?

You may be surprised to know the massive variety when it comes to sub species in the world of ants. Not all species make ant hills inside, but there are quite a few that do.

Formica Ants are one of the most common builder ant species that is known for making amazing ant hills inside. Some other species that too dabble in this art include

Harvester ants
Argentine ants
Texas leaf cutter ants
Yellow meadow ants
Pyramid ants
Fire ants
Allegheny mould ants

Are Ant Hills Only Inhabited By Ants?

While ants are the predominant species in the ant hills but there are a lot of other small species that end up staying in it too. These include small insects, beetles, and so on.

Does An Ant Hill Look Like A Proper House?

ant hill inside — Source: Marco Neri / Unsplash

No, not surprisingly ant hills don’t resemble proper homes at all. It looks like a small pile of sand or just a little heap that may lie in the middle of the ground.

Some of them also look like a large deposition of mud that may be several metres tall. A few of them end up being as tall as 10 feet. Some of the ant hills may also be cone-shaped. It is the red fire ants that make these kinds of hills.

What Does The Ant Hill Inside Look Like?

The anthill inside is marvellously complex and intricately beautiful. There are a lot of tunnels whose main aim is to connect the chambers present inside the hill. Every chamber is made with a specific purpose in mind.

Some of these rooms are for storing the food while some of them serve as resting areas for worker ants who sweat it out during the day. During the daytime, the worker ants take the larvae and place them in rooms nearer to the top. This is done to make sure the larvae stay warm during the daytime. As night starts to fall, they again move the larvae to the lower chambers to prevent them from being eaten by other animals.

Why Do Ants Make Anthills?

If you want to know the real purpose of why ant hills are made, the answer revolves around the queen. The main aim of ant hills is to protect the larvae and the queen. The queen plays a very crucial role in the colony of ants and so the colony does their best for the sake of protecting its queen.

With the help of these hills, the queen and the larvae both can be kept safe and it also offers a good resting place for the rest of the ants.

Where Are Anthills Made?

Ants make it a point to narrow down the different locations where they feel that they will be able to get the right protection from the different hunters and predators. Some of the common areas where you are likely to find anthills are close to tree logs, the roots of the trees, under the stones and so on. The structures chosen should be versatile and offer the right protection.

It is also made in such a way that the anthills are likely to face the sunshine and thereby the direction will be right. It is also important that ant hill is so located that the environment is suitable and food is abundant nearby.

Why Do Ants Choose To Abandon Their Ant Hill Inside?

One of the most common reasons why ants choose to abandon their home is when they get damaged or predators end up invading and destroying their home. Even if there is a natural calamity like flooding, the anthill will end up being washed out.

Sometimes, owing to human invasion, the anthills may be destroyed too. As soon as the anthill is destroyed, ants huddle together to create a new home. Some of the ant species take just a few days for the sake of making a new home.

How Long Can An Anthill Survive?

It is hard to give an exact number as to how long an anthill can survive. They can be damaged in as less as a year and some of them can last for more than three decades. If the ants end up procuring the right materials and the whole structure is built well, the structure can last several hundred years.

What Are The Materials Anthills Use?

If you have ever seen ants make homes, you will be surprised to see how meticulous they are and their smart thinking. Mostly, the materials used are very basic like dirt, twigs, sand, and clay. With the help of twigs, the structures are strengthened easily. At the same time, they can also offer the right protection from adverse weather.

As ants can’t carry a lot of heavy stuff, they refrain from the use of heavier elements like stones, gravel, and little rocks as well. They are very particular about how they make the hills. So they try their best to use the right elements to ensure a longer lifespan of the anthill.

How Long Do Ants Take To Build Anthills?

The actual time that ants take for making anthills varies a great deal based on the species of ants that are making the hill.

Let us give some details about the species and the time it will take.

The Allegheny Mound Ants will take a year on average to build 1 foot of the ant hill. Other species may end up taking longer or even shorter time for the sake of making the hills.

How Big Can Anthills Get?

Ants are known to have some of the best cooperating colonies. You will be surprised at how different colonies choose to merge their anthills.

The largest colony is the one that is present in Japan as it stretches well over 13 miles. Apart from this, there is another anthill that covers as much as 6000 kilometres and it is present in Europe. Several such massive colonies are present and groups of ants end up working in close cooperation for making such big homes

What To Do If An Anthill Is Present Close To Your Home?

Some people end up being very stressed the moment they spot an anthill close to their home. This does lead to a problem especially because ants may soon start to invade your house and thereby destroy several items. Ants mostly destroy food and can feed on sweets and other eatables.

If you eat food infested with ants, you may end up having severe stomach issues. So, the moment you spot an anthill near your home, you will have to take immediate action before they start to destroy your place.

However, destroying the ant hill is a very easy job. You can simply choose to flatten out the hills. They perceive this as a warning that danger is near and mostly will quickly move to another location in search of a new home.

Some other harsher methods include pouring boiling water into the anthill or even boric acid powder. Even carbonated drinks and soda will work as it suffocates the ants, especially the ones in the lower chambers and they will quickly move away from the ant hill and either die or try another area.

The Ant hill Inside Explained

Ideally, an ant hill can be divided into two different sections- the one above the ground and the one below it. There is an extensive network that connects both sections seamlessly. It also connects different chambers that are a part of the anthill.

The Formica ant species mostly make the ant hills and the ant queens have the purpose of laying eggs. They usually do so as the Nordic winter starts to end. You will be surprised to know that the anthill inside is so made that even when the outside temperatures are cold and the anthill itself is covered with snow, the insides can have temperatures in the range of 26 to 28 degrees.

This is very conducive for the queen ant for the sake of laying eggs and even for the larvae to flourish rather than die owing to the harsh winter. The top of the ant hill looks like long pine needles. They are essentially little chambers for ants to enter and close the gate when the work is done. They make smart use of stones and other materials found on the ground for blocking predators and even keeping the insides warm and not letting wind or snow enter inside.

The different sections and chambers are mainly made keeping the reproduction cycle and the queen ant in mind. The larvae and queen are often moved from one chamber to the other as the need arises for temperature regulation.

FAQ

What do you call an ant house?

The right term for an ant house is anthills. It has been so named mainly because the structure looks like a heap and somewhat resembles a loose hill.

Can ant hills be very huge?

While an individual ant hill may not be very massive, ants are a very cooperative colony and several colonies can merge to work together and they can huddle to make huge anthills. One of the species of ants that is the Formica polyctena can make anthills that can measure as much as 65 feet in circumference alone.

How can you get rid of anthills easily?

Simply choosing to flatten their hill is likely to indicate them to move away. Pouring acid or soda water too will serve your need.

Can ant bites be fatal?

Ant bites are usually not fatal. Some of them can sting for some time but the irritation tends to go away shortly. Two ant species, in particular, that are harvester and fire ant stings are known for triggering an allergic reaction in some cases. Their bites may flare up a systemic reaction in the body.

How can you get rid of ants in the kitchen?

Make a solution by mixing vinegar with water or soda and spray it on areas infested with ants. They are likely to run away as it makes it difficult for them to breathe.

So, with these details of anthill inside, you will be better equipped to know what to expect out of them. The ants are amazingly smart and thereby continue to intrigue humans with their intelligence. One wonders if there is more to them or if they are just good at teamwork.