Army Ants

Army ants, also known as legionnaire ants, comprise about 200 species (New World Encyclopedia). It is unclear how many species live in the Amazon rainforest. These ants are carnivorous and aggressive hunters, attacking their prey en masse (New World Encyclopedia). Unlike most species of ants, army ants do not make permanent structures. Instead, they create temporary shelters called bivouacs. These bivouacs are often set up in hollow trees, where the ants form structures by linking their legs together. Army ants don’t stay in one place for long and are constantly on the move.

Army ants are considered keystone species because they play a critical role in maintaining ecological balance. As major predators of other arthropods, they help regulate arthropod populations, including leaf cutter ants. While leaf cutter ants are important for the ecosystem, unchecked populations can become problematic. Additionally, the presence of army ants often flushes out arthropods trying to escape, providing food for insectivorous vertebrates (Perez-Espona, 2021).

Unfortunately, the nomadic nature of army ants makes them particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation caused by deforestation. Misconceptions about army ants have also persisted, largely due to media portrayals. For example, the movie The Naked Jungle depicts army ants consuming everything in their path, including vegetation and large animals. This portrayal is inaccurate. Army ants are strictly carnivorous and do not eat vegetation or prey on large animals.

References:

Army Ant New World Encyclopedia

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Army_ant

Perez-Espona, Silvia.(March, 2021) Eciton Army ants-Umbrella species for conservation in neotropic forests Diversity

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350302744_Eciton_Army_Ants-Umbrella_Species_for_Conservation_in_Neotropical_Forests