Driver Ant
Dorylus spp.
Massive Scale
Driver ant colonies are enormous, often containing between 15 and 20 million individual ants. This immense population size allows them to dominate their environment during foraging raids.
The Temporary Nest
They do not build permanent nests. Driver ants nest in temporary underground cavities and move on at irregular intervals; the living bivouac of interlocked bodies belongs to the army ants of the Americas.
Beneficial to Locals
In some African villages, residents may temporarily evacuate their homes when a massive column passes through.
Field notes
| Range | Africa |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | Workers up to a year; queens over 10 years |
| Size | Workers 2 to 20 mm; queens 50 to 60 mm |
| Weight | A soldier worker can weigh over 0.5 grams |
| Colour | Typically dark reddish-brown to black |
| Diet | Voracious Predator and Scavenger |
| Family | About 60 to 70 species in the genus Dorylus |
In the book
The Driver Ant is number 29 of the 101 creatures in Glowing Bugs. Its two pages show it from three sides, at its true size, with a map of where it lives. The plate is an artistic interpretation and does not show the true colours of the living animal.
