The 5 Best Documentaries about Ants

Intro: Documentaries about Ants

Did you know that there are over 12,000 ant species all over the world?

While many people find ants frustrating when they get into their homes or have a picnic, these insects help the environment. Ant colonies may consist of millions of ants, depending on the species.

In a colony, you will find three ant types: the queen, the males, and the female workers. The workers have no wings, while the males and the queen have wings. The queen is the only ant in the colony that can lay eggs. The job of the male ants is to mate with the future queen ants and do not live long afterwards.

An ant colony also has soldier ants, and their job is to protect the queen, attack enemies in search of nesting space and food, gather or kill food, and defend the colony.

Do you want more information about the ants? Then, check out the documentaries about ants below:

1. Army Ants - National Geographic BBC Wildlife Ants Documentary

This ants documentary focuses on the army ants. They are also referred to as marabunta or legionary ants. They have aggressive predator foraging groups called raids. These ants do not construct permanent nests because they move incessantly over time. The documentary details the role of each army ant in the colony, how they search or kill food, survive different environments, and more.

2. Empire of the Ants - Documentaries about Ants

This documentary about ants explores what lies beneath the ants’ empire. David Attenborough goes to the Swiss Jura Mountains to uncover the secrets of a giant. He investigates an extensive network of channels and tunnels beneath the ground, where a vast empire of ants is located. Many people believe that the ants’ empire is one of the world’s largest animal societies, and a billion ants live there.

3. Killer Ants of Amazon Forest - Documentaries about Ants

This ants documentary details the unknown lives of army ants. These ants are known as the most feared animals in Ecuador’s equatorial forests in Amazon rain forests. When there is an opportunity, they hack and dice unfortunate preys that get in their path. Then, army ants bring the remains back to their nests. After wiping out all the food around their nest, they do a massive migration to look for a new nest while protecting the queen.

4. Planet Ant - Life Inside The Colony - BBC - Documentaries about Ants

Uncovering the mysterious underworld of ant colonies, this remarkable documentary takes viewers to new heights as they explore an enormous full-scale ant nest specially designed and built with cameras in mind. For a month, renowned entomologist Dr George McGavin and revered leaf cutter expert Professor Adam Hart team up to capture the inner workings of an incredible million-strong colony of leaf cutter ants from Trinidad.

With the aid of time-lapse cameras, microscopes, microphones, and radio tracking technology, their mesmerizing journey unearths fascinating facts about the collective organization of these tiny insects and sheds light on how they are aiding global solutions. This is one exploration you won't want to miss!

5. The Insane Biology of: Ant Colonies - Documentaries about Ants

This documentary about ants shows how organized these insects are. They have more ideas and plans for their lives. Some species even sacrifice their own lives to save their colony. These small animals are considered the most successful creatures ever lived. They colonize almost every landmass on earth, and the colony is the only thing that matters in the lives of ants.