(Activity) Entomology Science Project - The Diversity and Food Preferences of Foraging Ants

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Resource Description:
Observations: Ants are one of the most abundant arthropod groups in both natural and urban environments. It is estimated that in North America alone there are 1,000 ant species which vary in size, behavior and life-history. These species range from minute, pale yellow slow-moving dwarves to large, shiny-black runners. Ants make use of different nesting places, utilize different food sources and display different levels of aggressiveness and the ability to recruit nest mates when food is found. This abundance of ant species means that almost necessarily members of several ant nests will forage in the same territory. Since ant workers do not have wings, they look for food in the same habitat – on the ground, on walls and trees and under leaf-litter. Animals that are related and share the same habitat either compete with one another or utilize the available food in different ways. Since ants are small and not easy to locate, scientists have two main ways to estimate ant diversity: (a) They can use pitfall traps and catch ants that unintentionally fall into them or (b) They can lure ants with tasty baits, and see how many ants arrive to feed on these food items. Question(s): How many different ant species or ant genera forage in the home or school's vicinity? What type of food will they be attracted to? Would some ant species be more efficient foragers than others?

Hints to form hypothesis: Think about the different ants you encounter around your house and yard. Are they all the same color? The same size? Do they all move at the same speed? What other differences could there be between different ants? Think what characteristics of ants would make them better at finding food and moving it back to their nest. While accurately identifying ant species is very complicated, characteristics such as size, color and speed can help you classify ants into groups, which might represent species.

Hypothesis: In the same environment there are usually several or many ant species that live side by side. These ants vary in size, speed, aggressiveness, the kind of food they prefer etc. and thus not all ants that live in the same area compete with one another for food.

Materials needed  3 hard-boiled eggs, shredded  3 spoons of sugar  3 small pieces of plastic  A small vial of sugar water  3 spoons of peeled sunflower seeds (or other seeds)  Magnifying glass (optional)  Digital camera (optional)  Small glass vials for holding ants (optional)
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Opens Apr 5, 2020 3:00pm
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