The World’s Largest Ants…

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The World’s Largest Ants…

September 30, 2008 by myrmecos

…are queens in the African driver ant genus Dorylus, captured on video here:

Posted in Ants, Insect Links | Tagged Dorylus, hymenoptera, Nature | 10 Comments

10 Responses

on September 30, 2008 at 4:45 pm MrILoveTheAnts

I forget what documentary that’s from but I think it was almost completely devoted to single Driver Ant colony (Dorylus). And I recall they did an excellent job of recording the queen up close. And even got showed a male ant arriving, removing it’s wings, and mating with the queen. I know these are all separate events but how does someone film around these ants? It can’t be easy but do they use laboratory colonies?
on September 30, 2008 at 5:48 pm ihateaphids

whoa cool.
on October 1, 2008 at 6:52 am myrmecos

MILTA- yeah, I was thinking that too. The photographers must have been eaten alive during the shoot!
on February 24, 2009 at 11:31 am Robert

When I was little, I went to a small resort in Gogoron, Mexico. Surrounded by mountains and open land, this resort has five pools that range in depth, size and temperature. I was in the the fourth largest pool by myself and saw this giant ant-like thing either going into the water pipe for the pool or taking a drink. I got out as fast as I could and ran for another witness, but by the time I came back it was gone. This thing was taller than a golf ball and at least 6″ long (not including its antennae) and because of the strong sun, it appeared to be a dark violet.
on March 11, 2009 at 5:55 pm NightFall

umm thats al0t of ants.

and the queen like dwarfs all the other ants.
on March 14, 2009 at 5:41 am Anonymous

hgh k
on November 25, 2009 at 7:57 pm gmramon

Are they even bigger than Dinoponera gigantea?
on June 24, 2010 at 9:06 am ANti Ants

bazdmeg !!! nembirom a kurva hangyákat !!! :-aaaaa
on January 31, 2011 at 9:24 am leo

i have seen a larger ants larger than the queen ant in the clip above about 12 years ago in malaysia, penang island some place called botanical garden.. the average size of the ants colony is about 2 inches!! imagine the size of the queen!??! they are colour in dark red and have light brown stripes in their back
on May 25, 2011 at 6:57 am Hk

Ants may build a house for me anytime! :D

Btw…

There are 3 inches long ants that aren’t queens so wtf…