Why Mammals That Feast on Ants and Termites Stick to Their Menu: A Deep Dive into Their Dietary Choices

Insects and Their Impact on Biodiversity

Insects, especially ants and termites, play a crucial role in shaping biodiversity. Recent research shows that diets based on these social insects have evolved multiple times throughout history. According to researcher Barden, “This is the first real roadmap we’ve got. It shows just how significant ants and termites have been over the last 50 million years in transforming environments and even influencing whole species.”

Despite this, we still have a lot to learn about insects’ actual impact on life on Earth. Ants and termites together weigh more than all wild mammals. This immense biomass indicates their powerful role in evolution.

However, this focus on ants and termites has a downside. Eight out of twelve lineages that rely on these insects have only a single species. This means they could be at risk if the food supply dwindles. Barden warned, “Specializing in ants and termites can put a species in a tight spot. Yet, as long as social insects dominate in numbers, these mammals may still have an advantage, especially with climate change favoring large colonies like those of fire ants.”

Future studies aim to delve deeper into how social insects have influenced life over millions of years. Instead of relying solely on lab experiments, researchers will use nature as a living archive. Vida, another researcher, noted, “Gathering reliable dietary information for lesser-known mammals can be hard, but every tiny detail helps us grasp how these unique diets developed.”

Evolution, 2025. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpaf121

A fascinating aspect of this research is how it connects to current trends. In recent years, social media has brought discussions about insects to the forefront. Platforms like Twitter are buzzing with conversations about the ecological benefits of ants, from soil aeration to seed dispersal. Many people are beginning to recognize that these tiny creatures are vital for our ecosystems.

As we move forward, understanding the critical roles that insects play helps us protect both them and the larger systems that rely on their existence. Their influence reaches far beyond what we might initially realize.

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