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Insects and Spiders · entry 19 of 52
A queen ant can live for many years, far longer than worker ants.
The longer version
Long life lets a queen keep producing offspring season after season, since replacing her would mean raising and protecting a replacement. Workers face far more danger outside the nest, so their shorter lives reflect exposure rather than a fixed limit built into their bodies.
Once a queen has mated, she stores sperm and releases it gradually, meaning one mating period can supply fertilisation for years. Inside the sheltered nest she is fed and groomed by workers, which lowers the wear that outside life imposes. Her body is also built for egg production rather than foraging or defence.
Where this entry sits
This collection gathers small wonders from the world of ants, bees, butterflies, beetles, and spiders. Expect surprising details about swarms, silk, and metamorphosis, plus the strange everyday abilities of creatures small enough to fit on a fingertip. The full list sits on the Insects and Spiders page, where every entry is listed in order.
More From Insects and Spiders
Eight more entriesA butterfly drinks nectar through a long coiled mouthpart called a proboscis.
Read 21Each autumn, monarch butterflies migrate thousands of kilometres across North America to warmer regions.
Read 22The colony of some ant species can contain millions of individual workers.
Read 23A spider digests its prey outside the body before drinking the resulting liquid.
Read 24A cicada spends years underground as a nymph before emerging as an adult.
Read 25Grasshoppers hear with organs located on their abdomen rather than their head.
Read 26A ladybird's bright colours warn birds that it tastes unpleasant to eat.
Read 27A praying mantis relies on camouflage to blend into the leaves and stems around it.
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