Ant eggs are super important for a thriving ant group. If ants don’t keep making new eggs, their group can’t last. Removing ant eggs might shorten how long a group of ants lives, but can we stop ants before they become something else?
In this article, we’ll tell you all about how ants grow up and show you the best way to keep them from bothering you.
Ant Lifespan Journey: Changing from Egg to Grown-Up Worker:
Every ant has to start its life somewhere. An ant lifespan begins when it’s just an egg. Queen ants lay lots of ant eggs every day, which helps their colonies grow quickly.
Ant Eggs:
Ant eggs are usually a light white color and very tiny, about half the size of a grain of sand. Worker ants work hard to protect these small eggs from enemies and other creatures.
The time it takes for ant eggs to hatch varies depending on the ant species. For most ants, these eggs turn into female worker ants that protect the nest and find food. But some ants become winged reproductive ants, creating new ant homes later on.
Ant Larvae Phase:
Once they hatch from their eggs, baby ants called ant larvae start eating food they get from worker ants. The University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program says that a queen ant who has recently become a mom takes care of these growing larvae until they can look after themselves and other baby ants.
These baby ants, called larvae, eat the food worker ants find or catch for them. They’re born without legs or eyes, so they need help from other worker ants to feed themselves.
Becoming Pupae and Adults
As the baby ants (larvae) grow, they will eventually become pupae. At this stage, they stop eating and stay still until they become fully grown ants. Some types of ants make a protective covering around themselves, like a cocoon, while others don’t.
How long it takes for an ant to grow up into an adult can vary. Some may only spend a few days as pupae, while others might take many weeks.
Pupae usually look somewhat like adult ants but are much paler in colour. If they don’t have a cocoon, they appear as “clear” young ants that gradually become darker as they mature.
Most young adult ants become worker ants caring for the ant family. But some become ants, which can make more ants. Worker ants are all females, but the ants that can make more ants can be males or females.
In late summer, all the ants that can make more ants leave the ant home to find a partner. They meet up in the sky and fly around your backyard to find a mate and a new place to live.
If a queen ant finds a good home and makes baby ants, she takes care of them until they grow up enough to take care of her. Once her first batch of baby ants becomes adults, her main job is to lay more ant eggs.
Getting Rid of Ants on Your Property
Ants are not welcome visitors in your yard or house. These little pests can make ugly dirt piles in the grass and show up in your kitchen looking for sugary treats.
You’ll want to get rid of ants quickly when you have ants. It’s tough to deal with ant problems outside and even harder to control them once they get inside your home.
Can You Get Rid of the Ants by Removing Their Eggs?
Taking away eggs is a method to control many bug groups. For instance, larvicides are used to control mosquitoes and caterpillars.
But when it comes to ants, getting rid of their eggs isn’t a practical choice for pest control. Ant eggs are deep inside the ant home, near the queen. You’d have to dig into the ant hills to reach these hidden places, which means you might get many ant bites.
Ant eggs are crucial for the life of the ant colony, but destroying the eggs won’t seriously harm the nest. If the queen is still alive, she can quickly make more ants to replace the missing ones.
Worker ants usually don’t live very long, but queen ants can live long if they have the right conditions. In colonies with just one queen, if you get rid of the only ant that can make more ants, the colony will fall apart once all the worker ants die.
To control pests effectively, you must ensure every ant in the colony is gone, from the queen to the tiny ant eggs.
Dealing with Annoying Ants:
When you have lots of ants around, don’t just deal with the ones you see. There are various useful things like baits, traps, and other methods to stop these pests.
Using Borax:
Borax is a common ingredient in many homemade ways to get rid of ants. It’s bad for ants and can make them stop searching for food. It can also harm other ants in the group when they bring it back.
Mix borax with sugar, water, and honey to make ants want to eat it. Ants like sugary things because they give them energy, so they will come to your sweet mixture.
Watch this video to learn all the details about making the most effective borax ant control mix.
Using Boiling Water:
If you want to quickly remove ants, you can use boiling water. Just pour the hot, boiling water onto an ant mound, and it will eliminate most of the ants immediately.
But be super careful when dealing with hot liquids because spills can burn you. If some ants or the queen survive after the hot water, you might still have an ant problem. Also, the boiling water can damage the grass and make brown patches on your lawn. Only do this if you understand the risks and are comfortable doing it.
Some FAQs
What do ant eggs look like?
Ant eggs are tiny, oval-shaped, and white in color. They are about the size of a period at the end of a sentence.
How long do ant eggs take to hatch?
A: Ant eggs typically hatch within 7 to 14 days, depending on the species and environmental conditions.
Where do ants lay their eggs?
Ants lay their eggs in their nest. The nest can be located in the ground, in a tree, or even inside a building.
How long do ants live?
The lifespan of an ant varies depending on the species. Worker ants typically live for 1 to 3 years, while queens can live for up to 30 years.
What factors affect an ant’s lifespan?
The lifespan of an ant can be affected by a number of factors, including the availability of food, the presence of predators, and environmental conditions.
