Curious About Ants

PODCAST 258: CURIOUS ABOUT ANTS

RELEASE DATE: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2023

D:  HELLO, AND WELCOME BACK TO THE CURIOUS KID PODCAST.  WE’VE LEARNED ABOUT LOTS OF ANIMALS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.  MY FAVORITE OF ALL OF OUR ANIMAL EPISODES MIGHT BE OUR EPISODE ON TARDIGRADES THAT WAS RELEASED LAST YEAR.  IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD THAT EPISODE YET, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GIVE IT A LISTEN BECAUSE TARDIGRADES ARE FASCINATING.  AS REMARKABLE AS TARDIGRADES ARE, WE CAN’T SEE THEM WITH OUR NAKED EYES.  THE ANIMAL WE’RE LEARNING ABOUT THIS WEEK IS TINY, BUT IT IS ALSO JUST AS INCREDIBLE AS THE TARDIGRADE.  MANY OF US SEE THE ANIMAL NEARLY EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES, BUT WE MAY NOT APPRECIATE HOW AMAZING IT IS.  ARE YOU WONDERING WHICH ANIMAL WE’RE TALKING ABOUT?  LET’S FIND OUT!

O:  MAILBAG!

D:  MAILBAG!

“HELLO OLIVIA AND JACOB.  WE ARE OWEN (7) AND AUTUMN (5) FROM BEND, OREGON.  WE LOVE LISTENING TO YOUR PODCAST.  WE ARE ON A SUMMER CAMPING ROAD TRIP AND RECENTLY VISITED ESCALANTE PETRIFIED WOOD STATE PARK IN UTAH.  WE’VE ALSO BEEN OBSERVING TONS OF INSECTS AND TOASTING A LOT OF MARSHMALLOWS ALONG OUR JOURNEY.  WE’D LOVE TO GET CURIOUS ABOUT PETRIFIED WOOD, ANTS, AND MARSHMALLOWS!”

O:  THOSE ARE SOME FANTASTIC EPISODE TOPIC SUGGESTIONS.  WE ARE SO EXCITED TO LEARN ALL ABOUT ANTS FOR OWEN AND AUTUMN THIS WEEK.  THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOTS OF FACTS WE LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE THAT SHOULD MAKE YOU GO “WOW!”

D:  AND ONE OF THOSE FACTS WILL BE THE ANSWER TO OUR QUESTION OF THE WEEK.

O:  THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK IS, HOW MANY BRAIN CELLS DOES AN ANT HAVE?

D:  BEFORE WE LEARN SOME CRAZY ANT FACTS, LET’S LEARN A BIT ABOUT THE BODY OF AN ANT.  IF YOU HEARD OUR EPISODE ON BUGS, SOME OF THIS MIGHT BE A BIT FAMILIAR.

O:  AN ANT’S BODY IS DIVIDED INTO THREE MAIN PARTS THAT ARE CALLED THE HEAD, THE THORAX, AND THE ABDOMEN.  IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT AN ANT, THESE THREE PARTS SHOULD BE EASY TO IDENTIFY.   

D:  AN ANT’S HEAD IS WHAT HELPS THEM SENSE EVERYTHING AROUND THEM.  THEY SENSE THINGS IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY THAN HUMANS.

O:  FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE COMPOUND EYES, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE MULTIPLE LENSES ATTACHED TO EACH EYE, SO THEY HAVE EXCELLENT EYESIGHT.  THEIR MOUTH HAS A MANDIBLE, WHICH ACTS AS A MOUTH AND ALLOWS ANTS TO HOLD, SLICE, AND BITE THINGS.  ANTS DON’T HAVE A NOSE OR EARS, BUT THEY DO HAVE TWO ANTENNAE ON THEIR HEADS THAT ALLOW THEM TO FEEL, SMELL, TASTE, AND TOUCH.  ANTS ALSO HAVE A BRAIN THAT ALLOW THEM TO PROCESS EVERYTHING THEY SENSE.

D:  THE MIDDLE OF AN ANT’S BODY IS CALLED THE THORAX, AND ALL SIX LEGS EXTEND FROM THE THORAX.  THE LEGS HAVE TWO CLAWS   

THAT ALLOW ANTS TO HOLD THINGS.  SOME ANTS ALSO HAVE WINGS THAT ATTACH TO THE THORAX.

O:  THE ABDOMEN HOLDS AN ANT’S HEART AND DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.  SOME ANTS HAVE STINGERS ON THEIR ABDOMEN.  

D:  THE THORAX AND ABDOMEN ARE SEPARATED BY A PART CALLED THE PETIOLE.  THE PETIOLE CAN BEND, ALLOWING ANTS TO BE FLEXIBLE AND TURN THEIR BODIES.

O:  AN ANT’S BODY IS SURROUNDED BY SOMETHING CALLED CHITIN, WHICH HELPS MAKE UP THE EXOSKELETON OF AN ANT.  AN ANT’S SKELETON IS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BODY, AND IT IS STRONG AND WATERPROOF.  

D:  ANTS STICK TOGETHER AND HANG OUT IN BIG GROUPS CALLED COLONIES.  IN EACH COLONY, THERE IS ONLY ONE QUEEN, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF DRONES, AND LOTS AND LOTS OF ANTS CALLED SOLDIER OR WORKER ANTS.  COLONIES OF BEES ARE STRUCTURED IN A VERY SIMILAR WAY.

O:  THE QUEEN ANT IS THE BIGGEST ANT IN THE ENTIRE COLONY.  SHE ALSO HAPPENS TO THE THE MOTHER OF THE OTHER ANTS IN THE COLONY AND SHE CONTROLS EVERYTHING.  SHE LAYS EGGS TO MAKE MORE AND MORE ANTS.  THE DRONES HELP THE QUEEN MAKE EGGS, SO THEY ARE THE ANT FATHERS.  THE WORKER ANTS WORK, AND THEY WORK HARD.  THEY GATHER FOOD, DIG NESTS FOR THE OTHER ANTS, AND THEY HELP PROTECT THE COLONY.  A BIG MAJORITY OF THE ANTS IN A COLONY ARE WORKER ANTS.

D:  ANTS LIVE ALMOST EVERYWHERE.  THIS IS GOING TO SEEM A BIT RIDICULOUS WHEN I SAY IT, BUT THE ONLY CONTINENT THAT HAS NO ANTS IS ANTARCTICA.  WITH A NAME LIKE ANTARCTICA, YOU WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A FEW ANTS, BUT NOPE.  THEY PREFER TO SETTLE IN TREES OR PLANTS, AND CAN EVEN BUILD COLONIES UNDERGROUND.  

O:  ANTS ARE OMNIVORES, SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY ENJOY EATING PLANTS AND ANIMALS.  THEIR PREFERRED MEALS INCLUDE OTHER INSECTS, AS WELL AS MANY ARTHROPODS, INCLUDING SPIDERS, CRABS, LOBSTERS, AND SCORPIONS.  

D:  AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EPISODE, WE PROMISED SOME AMAZING ANT FACTS.  HERE IS A LIST OF 20 ANT FACTS, WRAPPING UP WITH THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.  I THINK AFTER HEARING THESE 20 FACTS, YOU WILL AGREE THAT ANTS ARE SUPER DUPER FASCINATING.

O:  FACT 1:  THE CLOSEST RELATIVE OF ANTS IS ACTUALLY BEES AND WASPS.  THAT SURPRISES MANY PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY LOOK DIFFERENT, AND ALSO BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY AFRAID OF BEES AND WASPS.  

D:  FACT 2:  ANTS ARE INCREDIBLY STRONG.  ANTS ARE KNOWN TO CARRY FIFTY TIMES THEIR OWN BODY WEIGHT.  JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW RIDICULOUS THAT IS, IF I WERE ABLE TO CARRY FIFTY TIMES MY BODY WEIGHT, I WOULD BE ABLE TO LIFT FIVE RHINOCEROSES AT THE SAME TIME.  

O:  SPOILER ALERT:  MY DAD CAN’T EVEN LIFT A SINGLE RHINOCEROS, LET ALONE FIVE AT ONCE.  FACT 3:  IF YOU ADDED THE WEIGHT OF ALL OF THE ANTS IN THE WORLD, IT WOULD BE JUST ABOUT EQUAL TO THE WEIGHT OF ALL OF THE HUMANS.

D:  FACT 4:  THE REASON THAT THE WEIGHT OF ALL OF THE ANTS AND ALL OF THE HUMANS WOULD BE EQUAL IS BECAUSE THERE ARE A CRAZY NUMBER OF ANTS ON EARTH.  SCIENTISTS ESTIMATE THAT 20 QUADRILLION ANTS CALL EARTH HOME.  ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT 20 QUADRILLION IS?  WELL, IT’S 20 MILLION BILLION.  20 QUADRILLION IS THE NUMBER TWO FOLLOWED BY 16 ZEROS!

O:  FACT 5:  HERE IS ANOTHER FACT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MANY ANTS THERE ARE.  FOR EVERY SINGLE HUMAN ON EARTH, THERE ARE TWO AND A HALF MILLION ANTS.  THAT’S INSANE!

D:  FACT 6:  ANT NESTS ARE A LOT MORE INTERESTING THAN THEY MIGHT SEEM.  THEY ARE BUILT BY WORKER ANTS USING DUST AND SAND.  THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO DIFFERENT SECTIONS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES, LIKE STORING FOOD AND RESTING.

O:  FACT 7:  WHILE ANTS LEAVE THEIR NESTS TO SEARCH FOR FOOD, THEY LEAVE BEHIND A PHEROMONE TRAIL, WHICH IS A SCENT THEY COULD USE TO TRAVEL TOGETHER, AND ALSO TO HELP FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO THE NEST.  

D:  FACT 8:  ANTS ARE THE ONLY OTHER CREATURES ON EARTH, BESIDES HUMANS, THAT FARM.  THEY ACTUALLY RAISE APHIDS, WHICH ARE OTHER INSECTS, IN THEIR NESTS.  THEY DO THIS SO THEY CAN ENJOY THE SUGARY SAP THAT APHIDS MAKE.  

O:  FACT 9:  WHEN THE QUEEN ANT DIES, SHE IS NOT REPLACED.  WHAT HAPPENS INSTEAD IS FASCINATING.  THE OTHER ANTS IN THE COLONY WILL DIE OUT QUICKLY, USUALLY WITHIN A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE QUEEN DIES.  

D:  FACT 10:  AS LONG AS THE QUEEN ANT DOESN’T DIE, ANTS ARE ABLE TO LIVE VERY LONG LIVES.  THEY ARE THE LONGEST LIVING OF ALL THE INSECTS, AND SOME ANTS ARE EVEN CAPABLE OF LIVING FOR UP TO 30 YEARS.  

O:  FACT 11:  THE BULLET ANT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE THE MOST PAINFUL STING OF ANY INSECT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.  THEY LIVE MOSTLY IN HUMID JUNGLE CONDITIONS, LIKE AROUND THE AMAZON RIVER, AND A STING FROM A BULLET ANT HAS BEEN COMPARED TO BEING HIT BY AN ACTUAL BULLET.  YIKES!

D:  FACT 12:  IN THE UNITED STATES, THE ANT TO LOOK OUT FOR WOULD BE THE FIRE ANT.  THEY ARE TINY, BUT THEY PACK A PUNCH.  THEIR BITES ARE PAINFUL AND CAUSE A BURNING SENSATION, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY THEY ARE CALLED FIRE ANTS TO BEGIN WITH.  THEY CAUSE OVER THREE BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE PER YEAR, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF SEVERAL THINGS, INCLUDING MEDICAL BILLS AND DAMAGE TO FARMER’S CROPS.  

O:  FACT 13:  THE LARGEST ANT’S NEST EVER DISCOVERED WAS OVER 3,700 MILES WIDE, AND IT WAS FOUND IN ARGENTINA IN THE YEAR 2000.  33 DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANTS LIVED THERE, AND THE NEST WAS MADE OF MILLIONS OF SMALLER NESTS THAT FORMED A SUPERCOLONY WITH BILLIONS OF WORKERS.

D:  FACT 14:  ANTS HAVE TWO STOMACHS.  ONE STOMACH IS USED TO DIGEST IT’S OWN FOOD, WHILE THE OTHER STOMACH IS USED TO FEED OTHER ANTS… HOW GENEROUS.

O:  FACT 15:  ANTS DON’T HAVE BLOOD, BUT THEY DO HAVE A LIQUID CALLED HEMOLYMPH THAT HELPS NUTRIENTS MOVE AROUND THE BODY.

D:  FACT 16:  ANTS DON’T SLEEP, BUT THEY DO NAP.  A WORKER ANT TAKES ABOUT 250 NAPS EACH AND EVERY DAY.  THAT SOUNDS GLORIOUS, UNTIL YOU REALIZE THAT EACH NAP ONLY LASTS ABOUT A MINUTE OR TWO.

O:  FACT 17:  ANTS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE TIME OF DINOSAURS.  THEY WERE ROAMING THE EARTH AT THE SAME TIME AS THE TYRANNOSAURUS REX AND TRICERATOPS.  IN MANY WAYS, THEY’RE STRONGER THAN THE DINOSAURS, BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO SURVIVE THROUGH THE EXTINCTION THAT WIPED OUT THE DINOSAURS AND THROUGH THE ICE AGE.

D:  FACT 18:  ANTS ALMOST NEVER DROWN IN WATER.  THAT’S BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUPER TINY BREATHING TUBES THAT WATER CAN’T GET INTO.  THAT ALLOWS THEM TO SURVIVE UNDERWATER FOR AS LONG AS TWO WEEKS.  

O:  BEFORE WE ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK, GET READY FOR AN INSANE ANT FACT, FACT 19:  ANTS CAN BECOME ZOMBIES.  HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?  WELL, THERE IS A FUNGUS THAT INFECTS ANTS AND STARTS TO CONTROL THEIR BODIES.  AFTER TAKING CONTROL, THE FUNGUS MAKES THE ANT LEAVE IT’S COLONY AND BITE INTO A LEAF BEFORE DYING.  AFTER THAT HAPPENS, FUNGAL SPORES ARE RELEASED THAT CAN INFECT OTHER ANTS.  SOME ANTS HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY ARE EVEN ABLE TO RECOGNIZE OTHER ANTS THAT ARE INFECTED AND GET THEM OUT OF THE COLONY TO PROTECT THE REST OF THE COLONY.

D:  ALRIGHT OLIVIA, LET’S ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.  HOW MANY BRAIN CELLS DOES AN ANT HAVE?

O:  AN ANT HAS 250,000 BRAIN CELLS, MAKING IT THE SMARTEST OF ALL INSECTS.  THEIR SUPER BRAINS ALLOW THEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER, ESCAPE AND FIGHT OFF THREATS, HUNT FOR FOOD, AND NAVIGATE OVER VERY LONG DISTANCES.  

D:  WELL, THAT’S A WRAP FOR THIS WEEK’S EPISODE.

O:  258 - ANTS

D:  GREAT JOB OLIVIA, AND GREAT JOB OWEN AND AUTUMN FOR THE F”ANT”ASTIC EPISODE TOPIC SUGGESTION.  JOIN US NEXT WEEK, WHEN WE WILL GET CURIOUS ABOUT TASTE BUDS FOR LISTENERS IN AUSTRALIA.  AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND GETTING CURIOUS WITH US.