How many paws does an ant have and their structural features

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Ants are one of the most common insects in the world and in nature there are about 14 thousand different species. Most ants are very tiny. Their body length is only a few millimeters and it is very difficult to see them without a magnifying glass. For this reason, some people wonder about the number of legs this cute insect has.

How many limbs does an ant have and how are they arranged?

Like most other insects, ants have three pairs of legs. All limbs are attached to the body and are located on its different segments. The first pair is attached to the pronotum, the second to the mesonotum, and the third, respectively, to the metanotum.

How are the limbs of an ant

The structure of ant legs is the same as that of many other insects. All insect limbs consist of the following parts:

  • basin;
  • swivel;
  • hip;
  • shin;
  • paw.

On the front pair of legs, ants have something like brushes, with the help of which insects clean their own antennae and paws. But the back pair of legs of ants is equipped with spikes, which are used by soldier ants as weapons.

All three pairs of legs of the insect are thin and very flexible, thanks to which ants are able to perform a huge amount of work with them. different operations:

  • collect food of plant and animal origin;
  • takes care of eggs, young larvae and pupae;
  • maintain cleanliness and order inside the anthill;
  • engage in construction.

Features of the limbs of an ant

A distinctive feature of ant legs is the presence of special glands on them. These glands are designed to secrete special strong-smelling substances that help insects navigate the terrain.
Scout ants leave footprints on the paths they have traveled and thus give a signal to the rest of the colony so that they know in which direction to move.
Sometimes, due to errors in the location of such marks, a rare and unusual phenomenon can occur - an ant circle. As a result of this circular motion, a large number of ants begin to follow each other in a circle until they die from exhaustion.

Conclusion

Ants are one of the hardest working insects. Not only do they use their limbs for locomotion, but they have also become excellent at doing many different things with them. The paws of each individual insect, depending on its "profession" in the colony, can be used as building tools, agricultural equipment, and even weapons.

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