Work


 * __My semester-long pet__**

Japanese name: kuro-oo-ri Scientific name: Camponotus Japonicus. Description: Total length of workers usually around 7-12mm. Body color is black, tips of legs sometimes a dark or a light brown. Antennas tips around 5mm apart and about the length of the body to ¾ the length of the ant’s body. Thorax is typically covered in rows of dark or light thin hairs. In this species of ants the thorax and the abdomen is only connected by one node. Legs are relatively long compared to the body unlike some other ants. In high-class workers the head is larger compared to other ants and has a almost heart-shaped head. In some ants of this species the abdomen is sometimes clear and shiny or clear.

Natural Habitat: The ants nest underground in a complicated series of linking tunnels and the nest entrance is usually open without a mound. They are commonly found in most parts of Japan, mainly found in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Tsushina I, Yaku I, and Tokura Is. Besides Japan the Camponotus Japonicus species can be found in mainland China, and the Korean Peninsula. __Additional Notes about classification of the species__ Camponotus-Japonicus can be classified as a part of the Argentine ant family because of some of its physical characteristics. But is larger then most species in this family of ants, in fact the Camponotus Japonicus is one of the largest of species of ants out there.

__**Product Information**__ Company: Ant Workshop Model name: ant artists Other models: ant castle, ant habitat.

Blue gel’s composition and description: The composition of the blue gel is similar to that of agar. The gel is nutritious and has something in it that is not supposed to allow bacteria and fungus to grow. The gel will very-well retain its form when the ants burrow their tunnels through it. However the gel will not completely retain its form and the tunnels have a tendency to smooth out after a while. Sometime the ants will fill up some areas of the tunnels for whatever reason and after a while the gel will merge and form a solid layer and the tunnel will remain completely blocked off. The gel also does not retain its moisture very well because a lot of condensation tends to build up of the sides of the walls and the lid, even tiny puddles of moisture will build up in the bottom of some tunnels. The gel is a lower quality than that of the original Artworks design. I remain convinced that the Chinese Ant Workshop company stole the design from American Artworks company.

Ants tends to work in bursts every once in a while. They will only work every once in a while and get a lot of work done and then take a break for a while and do nothing for about a week or so, and there continue to be no significant progress during that period. Most of the time they remain inactive and stay bunched up together in one area and do nothing, literally. In the beginning before there were any real tunnels they would pick a place that is flat and untouched and not really do anything.
 * __Behavioral notes__**


 * __Diagram of workers and reproductive ants__**

__Workers types(not to scale,sizes of workers are different)__ ...............Minor Worker...............................Medium Worker......................................Major Worker.....................

...........................Reproductive female.......................... ..........................Reproductive male................................... The ants mandibles...The ants right mandible overlaps the left mandible and the left mandible slides into the right one. The Ant's head and the ants body without its legs...in both diagrams the antenna is missing on the left and cut in half on the right. This is a diagram of the ant's thorax, the head should go on the right side and the abdomen should go on the left, also the legs have been removed. Diagram showing Main section of an ant. Diagram of an ant's leg completely labeled. Diagram of an ant's head completely labeled. According to information I found on the internet, ants are actually also related to bees. Here is a comparison of diagrams of both species of insects.
 * __Diagrams of Ant mandibles, the entire body and the Thorax__**
 * __More Ant diagrams__**
 * __Diagram of an Ant’s leg__**
 * __Diagram of an ant’s head__**
 * __More Notes__**


 * __Additional notes on Ant classification__**

There is a difference between ants within its own species, although it is commonly known that there are different classes of ants, there are apparently levels within the classes of ants. Within the working class of ants, there are the minor and major workers, in an ant’s nest there are minor and major workers. The minor workers are usually around 7mm while the major workers are around 12mm. The major ants have a larger head compared to their bodies and the head is usually somewhat heart shaped. The minor ants have smaller heads and are rounder and they also have smaller mandibles.


 * __An interesting fact__**

Some species of ants keep “herds” of aphids and place them on the stem of a plant and will allow the aphid to feed of the sap of the plant. The aphid after a short while will produce a sweet substance that ants like to eat. In return the ants protect them and keep them safe from predators in their underground nests.

__** After the egg is laid by the queen, the egg "hatches" and the larvae develops up to a certain point before before covered by a cocoon that covers the pupa as it transforms its physical appearance to that of an ant. In some species the ant will be a clearish white color before finally darkening into its final form.
 * __Diagram of an Ant Larvae to adult development