THE BLACK ANTS

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The Meaning of Ants

Ants are a type of insect with a large number of species and individuals. The number of ants on the earth's surface comprises more than 12,000 species, but only about 7600 species of 250 genus have been named and described. The greatest ant diversity is in the tropics. Ants are widely distributed all over the place except in the ocean, ranging from the Arctic region to the north to the polar regions in the south (Daly et al., 1978).

Ants hold many roles in nature, both beneficial and adverse, depending on the environmental conditions in which they live. According to Anonymous (1998), ants are very useful in life, among others:

1. Ants nest on the ground makes the air can get into the ground
2. Some types of ants feed on insect pests (pests)
3. Plant-eating ants help the environment by eating disturbing plants
4. Ants fertilize the soil when processing its food
5. Ants can act as decomposers
6. Ants help spread the seeds

The Black Ants

Black ants Dolichoderus thoracicus Smith is an ant species whose distribution area is widespread in Southeast Asia, especially in areas with altitudes less than 1,300 meters above sea level. Black ants are commonly found in citrus, cocoa, coffee, and mango (Kalshoven, 1981). Black ants nests are usually above ground (piles of dry leaf litter) and also coconut leaf midrib (if cocoa is grown with coconut) or in other dry and dark places not far from food sources (Way and Khoo, 1992 ).

D. thoracicus black ants usually come out of their nests in the morning and evening when the temperature is not too hot. Ants will go to the tops of the plants to get the sunlight while running their activities. However, during the day when the temperature of the hot air, the ants will hide in places that are protected from direct sunlight, such as inside the nest, behind the leaves, on the ground, and others (Elzinga, 1978 in Rahmawadi, 1997 ).

D. thoracicus black ants belong to the Hymenoptera Order (clear winged insects) and enter the Familia Formicidae. According to Kalshoven (1981), the classification of D. thoracicus black ants is as follows:

Phylum: Arthropods
Class: Hexapoda
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Sub families: Dolichoderinae
Genus: Dolichoderus
Species: Dolichoderus thoracicus Smith

Black ants Dolichoderus thoracicus live in a social organization made up of a number of individuals and form a society called colony. The ant colony consists of groups called caste. Black ants consist of several castes, namely: queen, stud, and worker. Worker ants are divided into two, namely workers and soldiers. Ant castes have different tasks, but still interact and work together for the sake of their survival (Son, 1994).

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