Are ants blind?

Some ant species do not have a vision at all, especially those that are subterranean. Many ant species have compound eyes, which they use to hunt for food. Other ant species possess what is called ocelli, which is three simple eyes. Their eyes may distinguish light. Most ants have partial eyesight, and they rely on their other senses to help them find food and their colonies. Army ants are an example of an ant species without compound eyes.

They do not see at all, and they must depend upon their antennae and pheromones to smell, communicate, and touch. Also, most ants have very tiny eyes that can only find the bare minimum, which is essential to them. This vision is dark, light, and movement. However, some ants have giant bulging eyes, and that is from where the saying, "buggy eyed," comes.

Ants are not generally blind. However, some species of ants are blind; they can't see like others. In fact, those with eyes don't see clearly; they will still need to depend on their antenna to communicate with their mate. Most of them don't care about their real eyes because they can navigate their environment with other senses. However, it is important to know that ants have two types of eyes, namely; compound and simple eyes.

These compound eyes are made with tiny lenses, but they can't use it to capture the entire image of their surroundings. They also use simple eyes known as ocelli. The three simple eyes that can be found on their heads also help them to see better. However, some ants have a better vision; an example is Australia's bulldog ant. This ant has the ability to discriminate about the size of an object that's one meter away.