Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities—including their legendary communication skills that allow their colonies to function as superorganisms.

There are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth—that’s 2.5 million ants for every human. Known ant species (members of the family Formicidae) number over 12,000, and some experts estimate upwards of 20,000 exist. They can be found almost anywhere in the world, with the exception of Antarctica, Iceland, Greenland, and some island nations.

(How do ants make “milk”?)

Invasive ant species are becoming a problem, however, with research showing that over 500 species of ants were found in countries where they aren’t native, having hopped a ride with