You wake up to find a bunch of ants moving like a tiny, six-legged army across your kitchen counter? You pick up the phone to call an exterminator, and while on hold you ask yourself, what is a group of ants called ?

The most common term is an "ant colony," but depending on the context, you might also hear "swarm" or even "army." Each of these collective nouns refers to different behaviors or life stages.

For instance, a swarm of flying ants often shows up during mating season, while an ant colony includes all ants living in the same nest and working together to support their queen and brood.

What Makes Up an Ant Colony?

An ant colony is a bustling, self-sustaining society. Colonies can range from a few hundred to many millions of ants, all living in a central nest or a series of con

See Full Page