The Pest with a Long History – Rutgers Finds Ants Were Socializing Millions of Years Ago

Ants are one of the more common reasons that NJ homeowners need Middlesex pest control services. While individual ants might not live long, colonies can survive for long periods of time, especially when they’re not found. In fact, ants have been around for millions of years.

Fighting Ants

Ants found preserved in amber show evidence of fighting behavior that dates back to 99 million years ago. This behavior is fairly common in ants. Some ants fight with members of other ant colonies in the area, while others fight with other species of ants.

Social Ants

Fossils containing ants from the Cretaceous period show that they were social even way back in that time period. Several worker ants have been found in amber, indicating that these insects have been working together for a long time. Scientists believe this is one of the reasons ants have survived so long, since they work together within a colony rather than competing with each other.

Ancient Ants

Ants that are no longer around had jaws like tusks, which they used to catch prey. Modern-day ants don’t have these features. Ants with those large jaws were around 99 million years ago but have gone extinct. Some of today’s ants can still bite, such as fire ants, but most ants aren’t a danger to humans.

If you need Middlesex pest control services, contact Allison Pest Control. With help from our technicians, you don’t have to worry about dealing with ants in your home.