Ants have three different methods for transporting liquids, depending on their species and specific adaptations.

Firstly, there are ants with “crops,” which are social stomachs that can stretch and take up most of the space in their gasters (the back end of their bodies). This feature is common among more advanced ants. These ants can carry liquids inside their own bodies, which provides several advantages. It reduces the risk of other ants robbing the liquid, prevents evaporation, and allows them to transport larger quantities internally compared to in their jaws. In the image below, you can see an ant with a slightly distended gaster, indicative of a “crop.”

On the other hand, there are ants that lack these distensible stomachs. These ants can primarily transport liquids using their jaws, as shown in the image below. However, many of them have developed a clever strategy of soaking up liquids using sand or soil and carrying the soaked material back to the colony. In laboratory experiments, ants have even shown an ability to learn that sponges can soak up more liquid than sand. A specific species called Aphaenogaster senilis demonstrated intelligence by cutting the materials provided to them into manageable sizes for transport.

While advanced ants with social stomachs can share food through trophallaxis (regurgitation), it’s important to note that some species may have lost this ability. For example, certain harvester ants and fungus-farming ants have evolved the capacity to store large amounts of food securely and no longer rely on trophallaxis.

It’s fascinating to observe the different adaptations and strategies ants have developed for liquid transportation, showcasing their remarkable abilities and intelligence.