The giANT

The giANT

The giant ant (gi-ANT) is a type of eusocial insect in the Formicidae family. The smaller version of the ant evolved from ancestors that were wasp-like creatures. The giant ant on the other hand evolve over time from the weaker and smaller ant. Due to an ants many weaknesses, as time went on, ants became stronger and became able to evolve into something better. The ant had to adapt to the surroundings around them and to be able to protect themselves from any predators that may want to attack/kill an ant(through natural selection).

Weaknesses of the giANT

The Weaknesses of the giANT are the following:

• Pesticides/Ant killers
• Vinegar
• Nitrogen poor regions
• Pathogens
• Humans
• Aggressive/Larger Animals
• Cannot camouflage or hide as easily from predators

Strengths of the giANT

The Strengths of the giant ant are greater than any other ant (the possible strength. The Strengths of the giANT are the following:

• Can carry large loads (foods, supplies)
• They can better defend themselves- ants usually attack enemies that go after them(biting enemies and sometimes stinging enemies)
• It can eat other smaller insects and small mammals (mice, rats etc.)
• Aren’t defenseless against the regular predators
• They won’t get stepped on by humans and other animals
• Their exoskeleton would be extremely tough if the ant was  bigger
• They no longer have to stay in groups and can become independent instead of relying on one another in colonies
• They have much more strength because they have a large amount of strength compared to the species(of ant) that is a smaller size.

Due to the increase in size, the giANT has a harder time colonizing due to the size, unlike the smaller sized  version of the ant.

Etymology

The word “ant” is derived from ante, emete of Middle English which are derived from amette of Old English.  It is also related to the dialectal dutch emt  and ameiza from Old High German.  All of these words come from West Germanic and the original meaning of the word was “the biter” .  The word “giANT” is derived from the word “giant”, which means large, and the word “ant” in it.  It is giant ant.

The definition of the giANT is a very large, strong insect that lives independently from other ants, which is quite unlike smaller ants who are dependent on one another in large colonies.  It is a type of eusocial insect in the Formicidae family.

History and Evolution

The smaller ant evolved from wasp-like ancestors during the Cretaceous period.  About 99 million years ago they diversified just after the period in history of flowering plants. An ant that lived during the Cretaceous period around 92 million years ago has some features that are present in wasps and not in modern ants.  It was most likely a ground forager.  After the rise of flowering plants, they began to dominate after their adaptive radiation, which allowed them to diversify.  These mainstream small ants adapted to stay small and avoid predators and work together in highly structured colonies.

The giANT evolved from this smaller, more common ant.  Due to an ants many weaknesses, as time went on, ants became stronger and became able to evolve into something better. The ant had to adapt to the surroundings around them and to be able to protect themselves from any predators that may want to attack/kill an ant(through natural selection).  When ants breed, the larger offspring would have a better chance of surviving because they have more strength and tougher bodies to withstand predators.  Therefore, the larger ants would be the only ones to reproduce and create offspring, which in turn would lead to the eventual evolution of the ant into a bigger and tougher creature, the giANT.  It is well adapted to the environment because it is larger and much stronger to fight back against predators, helping them to move higher up into the food chain.

Habitat and Population

The giANT is very unique and different from the smaller ant because it has a very different familial structure. Generally, the smaller ants live in colonies of many ants and work together to obtain food and shelter.  However, they are extremely dependent on one another to survive because of the inability to fight off predators and find food single-handedly.  The giANT, with its powerful structure and larger and more intimidating size live with their families, consisting of the mother, father, and offspring.  The larger ants have a strong body and can feast on other small insects as well, instead of being a snack for them.  GiANTS generally burrow deep into the ground in soil, just as the smaller ant would, but it creates only a smaller area that is not as intricate as an ant colony.  Here, the family would live and stay protected from predators and from the elements.

The population of the giANTs is significantly lower than that of the smaller ants.  There is less need to have a larger number of offspring to bring food and cooperate with one another to provide for the colonies, so these populations would be quite low.  They are bigger insects and are higher up on the food chain as well.  They eat other insects that are smaller than themselves, as they are the biggest insect.  The giANT also eats his usual nectar or fruits along with a variety of different plants.  The giANT, if taken down by a predator, can be consumed by other mammals or large birds that are capable of taking them down for consumption, but it is certainly higher up on the food chain.

Biology

The giANT is constructed similarly to the smaller ant, with the same exact body shape and same head, thorax, and the abdomen.  The only difference is that the giANT’s body is about 4 feet in length, comparable to the size of a dog.  They have mandibles, which are tiny pincers in the front as do all ants and antennae, which touch, taste, and smell the surrounding environments.  The thorax and the front of the abdomen are fused together as a normal ant’s body. The giANT has six legs that are capable of moving it forward and backward, and the antennae are used to communicate with the other ants and also helps them to see the world around them. The giANT, having a large and tough body structure, lives for around 20 to 30 years, while the normal and smaller ant lives for around 15 years.  They have a longer lifespan because there if less of chance of their death from predators or other causes in nature.  The ant lives for a few years after birth and then mates with another, until they have offspring and the cycle continues. The giANT eats other smaller insects, as well as sugary foods such as nectar and fruit.  They need to have a larger amount of food in their system because of their larger size.  They also eat some leaves and plants that they come across.  Overall the diet habits don’t change much from the smaller ants except for the fact that they can eat smaller insects and animals because they are higher up on the food chain.

Impact on the Earth

The giANT greatly impacts the Earth and the ecosystems within.  Because of the larger size, there are larger burrows underground and tunnels so that the giANTs live together and are sheltered from larger and fierce predators.  In addition, there are many less bugs as a result of their consumption by the giANT, and they help to get rid of some pests such as mosquitoes and wasps.