Ants, like all insects, have three main body regions: gaster (rear end), thorax (the middle), and head (the front). Most ants have antennae with a bend, or elbow, in the middle. Some ants have wings; the reproductive ants. While most ants, workers ants, do not have wings. Ants typically live in controlled nest communities, located underground, in trees, or in ground-level mounds. Ant communities are ruled by a queen (often more than one), whose sole function is to reproduce.
The queen lays eggs to ensure the survival of the colony. The queen is also the largest ant and can live up to 30 years. There are also female ants, known as the worker ant, the soldier ant, and they care for the eggs, build and repair nests, and forage for food. The male ant, typically smaller than the female, emerges from the colony once to mate and then dies 1-2 weeks later.