Q: How many ant species are considered army ants?
A: Over 200 ant species are considered army ants.
Q: Why are they called army ants?
A: They are called army ants due to their aggressive predatory groups looking for food, known as "raids", in which many ants look for food at the same time in one place, attacking other animals collectively.
Q: Do army ants build permanent nests like most ants?
A: No, army ants do not build a nest like most other ants. Instead, they build a living, temporary nest with their bodies.
Q: What family do all army ant species belong to?
A: All army ant species are part of the ant family, Formicidae.
Q: What is the name for the behavior where many ants attack other animals collectively?
A: The behavior where many ants attack other animals collectively is called "raids".
Q: What is "legionary behavior"?
A: "Legionary behavior" is a behavior where many ants attack other animals collectively. It has evolved independently in several kinds of ant species, and is an example of convergent evolution.
Q: What is convergent evolution?
A: Convergent evolution is when unrelated organisms evolve similar adaptations in response to similar environmental challenges. In the case of army ants, several different ant species have evolved the same "legionary behavior" independently.
