Ant World
by David Y.
Scientists believe that ants gradually developed from wasps more than 100 million years ago. An ant's body has three main parts. They are the head, the trunk, and the metasoma. Ants develop in four stages: eggs, larva, pupa, and adult. Most members of an ant colony are workers. There are about 10,000 different kinds of ants. Most kinds have drab colors, such as black, brown, or rust. But some are yellow, green, blue, or rust.
Inspite of their small sizes, ants are amazingly strong. Most can lift objects that are ten times heavier than their bodies. Some ants are blind, including the army ants. The jaws of an ant move sideways. Ants possess an extra pair of jaws called maxillae. The maxillae assist the ant in breaking apart large amounts of food. However, the tiny particles of food are not taken to the stomach of the ant. The ant only removes juices from the food.