slave-making ant

[ sleyv-mey-king ]

noun

1. an ant of a species that raids the colonies of other ant species, carrying off larvae and pupae to be reared as slave ants.

Word History and Origins

Origin of slave-making ant¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

He selects three cases which he found it specially hard to deal with: that of the cuckoo, that of the cell-building bee, and of the slave-making ant.

From Project Gutenberg

If we had not known of any other slave-making ant, it would have been hopeless to speculate how so wonderful an instinct could have been perfected.

From Project Gutenberg

Formica sanguinea was likewise first discovered by P. Huber to be a slave-making ant.

From Project Gutenberg