Army ant ( or legionary ant or `` Marabunta '' ) means over 200 ant species . They are called army ants due to their aggressive predatory groups looking for food , known as `` raids '' , in which many ants look for food at the same time in one place , attacking other animals en masse . The name army ant ( or legionary ant or `` Marabunta '' also known as `` morabigbug '' ) is applied to over 200 ant species , in different lineages , due to their aggressive predatory foraging groups , known as `` raids '' , in which huge numbers of ants forage simultaneously over a certain area , attacking prey en masse .