Most ants are workers: sterile and wingless females.

A new worker does not leave the nest. Instead, it spends the first days of its adult life working for the queen, and taking care of the young ants. These nurses spend all their time feeding larvae, and moving them to areas with the right temperature. In this way, larvae benefit from the surface heat during the day, and are protected from the cold in the depths of the nest at night. (see video)

Later in life, the workers clean the nest, and some are specialized in waste disposal. Next they will manage the food supply.

Finally, older workers are assigned to the most dangerous mission, defending the nest and patroling around the anthill.

However, this division of labor is not mandatory. If ants perceive a lack of workers on a task, they will change their own work!