Page 66 - The Miracle in the Ant

Legionary Ants

One of the most feared animals of the forests is the legionary ant. The reason
for the name "army" being given to this ant community is their acting under a true
military discipline.
Legionary ants are carnivores and they eat up everything in sight. Each ant is
6 to 12 millimetres long, but their incredible number and discipline make up for
the disadvantage of their small size.
Direct sunlight may kill the legionary ants in a short time. Therefore they trav-
el either at night or in the shade. Due to their sensitivity to light, they dig long tun-
nels while advancing. Most of the ants run in these tunnels without going out-
side. This does not decrease their speed, because they can dig the tunnels very
fast with their strong jaws. Thus, running is both fast and secret. Legionaries move
as very large armies, going over all obstructions except fire and water, although
they are totally blind. 34
Legionary ants tear their prey apart where they find it and carry small pieces
of it to their temporary nests. Quite a lot of food is needed for a legionary ant
colony. The approximate daily need of a medium size colony, consisting of
80,000 adult ants and 30,000 larvae, is about half a gallon (2.27 litres) of animal

Legionary ants who have formed a temporary nest by hanging on to each other with their feet.