Army Ant Species

Category: Zoology & Ecology | GS Paper III

SEO Title: Army Ants: Species, Collective Hunting, Colony Behaviour and Ecological Importance

UPSC Notes

Army ants are social insects known for coordinated group hunting, large-scale raids and periodic colony movement. The term describes a specialised lifestyle found in several ant genera.

  • Important genera: Dorylus in Africa and tropical Asia, and Eciton in the Neotropics.

  • Collective hunting: Workers cooperate to capture insects, other arthropods and their brood.

  • Colony movement: Some army ants regularly relocate their colonies as food availability changes.

  • Nomadic and stationary phases: Certain species alternate between periods of frequent movement and periods of remaining at a temporary nest.

  • Queen: In true army ants, queens can have highly specialised body forms and substantial egg-laying capacity.

  • Ecological role: Help regulate invertebrate populations and influence forest-floor food webs.

Key Pointers

  • Army ants are not a single species.

  • Dorylus is associated with the Old World; Eciton with the New World.

  • Their behaviour is characterised by coordinated raids and colony mobility.

  • They are distinct from termites, despite similarities in social organisation.