If you want to know how many ants there are in 350 pounds, first you'd have to determine which type of ant, since there are 12500 - 22000 different species on earth. Once you've determined the species, you would need to figure out how much each individual ant weighs (ant size varies greatly across the planet). Then you could divide the total number of ants in that particular group by their average weight per ant to find the number that make up 350 pounds.
Ants are incredibly strong, and it's been reported that a single ant can carry objects or weights thousands of times its own weight. This strength has led some entomologists to suggest that the creatures feel pain, though they do not have a central nervous system to transmit signals of damage or injury.
Fire ants are devastating crops and landscapes across the country, killing plants and damaging electrical systems, roads, and other infrastructure. The insects are omnivorous, destroying a wide range of plants, and estimates put their annual economic damages at $8 billion. They also hitchhike on nursery stock and spread long distances by mating flights involving millions of winged males and females.
Two scientists from the Agricultural Research Service in Gainesville, Florida, are working to reduce the toll these invasive pests have been taking on crops and homeowners. They have developed a receptor interference technology that can be used to target fire ants. Their work may help reduce the amount of chemicals needed for effective pest control, as well as the costs associated with treating large areas.
