Trap-Jaw Ants

insects · amazing speed · tropical ants

Incredible jaw snap. Trap-jaw ants can close their jaws in about 145 microseconds (that's 145 millionths of a second!), making it one of the fastest movements of any animal on Earth.

Found worldwide tropics. These ants live in warm and tropical areas all around the world, from rainforests to grasslands where it stays nice and warm.

Jaws like a trap. Their huge jaws are specially designed to snap shut on prey and can also help them jump by pushing against the ground, launching themselves into the air.

Tiny fierce hunters. Trap-jaw ants use their super-speed jaws to catch small insects and arthropods to bring back to their colony and eat.

Underground builders. They live in nests underground or in wood, where hundreds or thousands of these ants work together to raise babies and find food.