Bivouac

A bivouac is temporary nest formed to protect the queen and larvae of army and driver ants. The bivouac is formed from the bodies of the living worker ants. The bivouac can be formed from hundreds of thousands of workers who grip on to each other's legs to create the temporary structure.

When the ants want to move on the the bivouac is deconstructed.

A photograph of driver ants overpowering a large grasshopper. Driver ants form temporary nests known as bivouacs.
Photograph by Karmesinkoenig licensed under Creative Commons.

Other names for (or types of) Bivouac include:

• Temporary nest

Related terms

• Castes
• Eusocial
• Formicidae
• Queen
• Worker

Related groups of terms

• General biology

Related pages on this web site

• Ants
• Army Ants

See other words beginning with B