EnchantedLearning.com Ant Life Cycle

The life cycle of the ant consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Fertilised eggs produce female ants (queens, workers, or soldiers); unfertilised eggs produce male ants.

Egg: Ant eggs are oval shaped and tiny (they are on the order of 1 mm long, but the queen's egg is many times larger).

Larva: The worm-like larvae have no eyes and no legs; they eat food regurgitated by adult ants.

The larvae moult (shed their skin) many times as they increase in size.

Pupa: After reaching a certain size, the larva spins a silk-like cocoon around itself (against a solid object, like the wall of the chamber) and pupates.

During this time the body metamorphoses (changes) into its adult form.

Adult: The pupa emerges as an adult.

The entire life cycle usually lasts from 6 to 10 weeks.

Some queens can live over 15 years, and some workers can live for up to 7 years.