What is the largest type of ant?
Dinoponera
The nest consists of large chambers and tunnels in the soil possibly with an earthen mound and can be 0.10–1.2 m deep. Nests are deeper in Dinoponera australis and Dinoponera quadriceps than in Dinoponera gigantea, Monnin et al. (2003) suggests that deeper nests are a possible adaptation to seasons and aridity. Dinoponera gigantea nests may have up to eight entrances and can be weakly polydomous,[16] whereas 1–30 openings with an average of 11 were recorded for Dinoponera longipes. Nesting density and spatial distribution varies depending on habitat. Density ranges from 15–40 nests per ha−1 to 80 nests per ha−1. Morgan (1993) measured a spacing between nests for Dinoponera longipes with a median of 35 m (n=22, range 14–69.5 m). Dinoponera australis and Dinoponera gigantea usually nest at the base of trees. Observations of Dinoponera quadriceps nests show that in more arid Caatinga and Cerrado habitats, nests are predominantly constructed under trees, whereas in Atlantic forest 60% of nests were 3 m away from any tree.[15]