Photo Credit: sanchom

An ant is not just an ant. There are many different species or kinds of ants squirming around in the dirt—and University of Alberta graduate student James Glasier is out to find them.

Since beginning his research, Glasier has identified 85 different species of ants in Alberta; this more than doubles the previously known number of species established at the university in the 1960’s.

In this video, made with the help of John Acorn, Glasier describes his research and explains why ants are an important part of the Albertan ecosystem.