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'''Ants''' are social [[insects]] that live in highly organized colonies that include workers, drones, and [[queen]]s. There are over 12,500 species of ants in the world. Considered a highly successful insect, ants have colonized all parts of the world except for [[Greenland]], [[Antarctica]] and [[Iceland]]. Ants are closely related to [[bee]]s and [[wasp]]s and this close relation can be observed in their similar social structure. Ants generally communicate via [[pheromones]].

'''Ants''' are social [[insects]] that live in highly organized colonies that include workers, drones, and [[queen]]s. Considered a highly successful insect, ants have colonized all parts of the world except for [[Greenland]], [[Antarctica]] and [[Iceland]]. Ants form part of the ''Hymenoptera'' family of species with [[bee]]s and [[wasp]]s and this close relation can be observed in their similar social structure. There are over 12,000 known species of ants in the world [http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu:210/hymenoptera/tsa.sppcount?the_taxon=Formicidae].

 

 

Highly organized, ant colonies are coordinated by the release of [[pheromones]] - chemical signals passed between individuals that allow information to be passed around the colony. Pheremones can be used for such diverse purposes as: marking trails, identifying which task group an ant belongs to, triggering alarms, and even spreading confusion among invading colonies.

 

 

While commonly seen as pests, ants actually have many benefits for human agriculture including pest control, and aerating soil, and even collecting seeds for farmers. They also regarded as food by many cultures - ant larvae known as ''escamoles'' in parts of Mexico are regarded as a kind of [[caviar]], and can sell for as much as $80 per kilo. Remarkably, in some parts of the world Army Ants are even used as rudimentary sutures, their powerful jaws clamping wounds together to assist healing.  

== Intelligent Design ==

== Intelligent Design ==