Ant Predators

An Ant-eater breaking into an Ants nest

There are several animals that prey on ants. So much so, that they have been given the name myrmecophages, which literally means ant eater in Ancient Greek. Several insects, rodents and birds are opportunistic predators of ants which means they only eat Ants if they are given the opportunity. 

However, some animals rely on ants for their dietary needs. The large mammal, ant-eater even has a body that is adapted for breaking into ant nests. It has a long snout and sticky tongue, which makes it easy to suck ants out from tiny holes. It also has sharp claws and strong forelimbs to help it break down the ants nest. 

One unlikely predator of ants are black bears. It may seem silly for such a large animal as a bear to eat tiny insects such as ants. However, ants are social creatures and can live in nests from only a few members all the way up to a million members. This means that if a bear breaks into an ants nest, it can find several ants at a time, therefore, providing it with a large and nutritious meal.