Amazon ant

/ˈaməzən ˈant/

/ˈæmɐzˌɑːn ˈænt/

Amazon ant

a highly aggressive and nomadic species that specializes in parasitizing and exploiting other ant colonies for resources

synonyms : Polyergus rufescens

What is an "Amazon ant"?

An Amazon ant, also known as the marauder ant, is a fascinating species known for its aggressive behavior and raiding tendencies. They are highly nomadic and form large colonies that can consist of thousands or even millions of individuals. Amazon ants are specialized social parasites that rely on other ant species for survival. They invade the nests of other ants, kill or drive out the resident ants, and use the host colony's resources for their own benefit. The Amazon ants have powerful mandibles and are capable of overpowering their prey. They are known for their relentless hunting and foraging activities, which make them formidable competitors in their ecosystem.

Examples

1. First, an Amazon ant queen will infiltrate a Formica nest and kill the native queen.

2. Then, once those babies are grown up, the Amazon ants move on to the next Formica colony to start the cycle over again.

3. Either way, once the Formica ants have approved their new ruler, the Amazon ants will put them to work.

4. There are over a dozen species in the genus Polyergus, also called Amazon ants or slave-raiding ants.