This set includes the tiny white eggs were ants get their start. Larvae come next, molting several times before entering a period of rest and growth as pupae. The adult ant that emerges is darker in color, but will not grow larger because of its exoskeleton. Scientific Name: Formica. Characteristics: Ants live in large colonies led by a queen, whose only job is to lay eggs. Worker ants do the heavy lifting, retrieving food and expanding the colony, while drones exist only to mate with the queen. Size and Color: The early stages of an ant's life cycle aren't very colorful, as most of their energy is devoted to eating. But adult ants have distinct coloration depending on the species. This adult ant is 2¾" long. The Life Cycle of an Ant is part of the Safariology® collection. All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free.