An ant doesn't give birth in the way mammals do; instead, a queen ant lays eggs which then hatch.
Essentially, ant reproduction centers around the queen ant. Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Mating: The queen ant first mates with male ants (drones). This often happens during a nuptial flight, where winged queens and males from different colonies meet. The queen stores the sperm from these matings for the rest of her life.
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Egg Laying: After mating, the queen begins to lay eggs. She can control whether an egg is fertilized or unfertilized.
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Fertilization and Sex Determination:
- Fertilized eggs: These become female ants – either worker ants (sterile) or future queen ants. What determines whether a female becomes a worker or queen is largely based on diet and other environmental factors during the larval stage.
- Unfertilized eggs: These develop into male ants (drones). This is a form of reproduction called parthenogenesis.
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Development: The eggs hatch into larvae, which are legless and grub-like. Worker ants in the colony feed and care for the larvae.
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Pupation: After several molts, the larvae enter the pupal stage. During this stage, they develop into their adult form inside a cocoon (in some species).
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Emergence: Finally, the adult ant emerges from the pupa.
In short, ants are born from eggs laid by the queen, not given birth to in the mammalian sense. The queen controls whether the egg is fertilized, determining the sex of the offspring.
