Ants (Latin Formicidae) are a family of insects from the superfamily of the ant-detachment of the Hymenoptera. They are social insects forming 3 castes: females, males and working individuals. Female and male are winged, working individuals are wingless. Antennae cranked, in females and working individuals 11-12-segmented, in males 12-13-segmented, in a number of species 4-, 6- or 10-segmented. The main antennal segment (skapus) is usually much longer than the rest. The posterior chest (epinotum) represents the first segment of the abdomen that merged with the hindquarter. The abdomen itself is attached to the epinotum by a stem formed by the first or second segments. Ants of some subfamilies (myrmicins, ponerins and others) have developed a sting. Wings with reduced venation.
Ants live in families in nests called nests, which are arranged in soil, wood, under stones; some build anthills from small plant particles, etc. There are parasitic species that live in the nests of other ants, the "slave-owner" ants containing "slaves" in their nests-ants of other species. A number of species have adapted to dwelling in human dwellings. Some species are valued for regulating the number of insect pests, others may be considered as pests.
They feed mainly on plant juice, aphid pod and other sucking insects, during the feeding of larvae - mainly insects. There are also species that feed on seeds (reaper ants) and cultivated mushrooms (leaf-cutting ants).
