Director Bert I. Gordon created some of the special ant-effects by shooting magnified images of the Panamanian bullet ant.
Inspiration for the phrase, "I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords," where insect is usually replaced or substituted in an ironic sense. Though no character in "Empire of the Ants" says this line, "The Simpsons" (1989) character of newscaster Kent Brockman says it in the episode "Deep Space Homer" and is alluding to the theme of the film.
As a promotional gimmick for the film theaters would display ant farms in their lobbies - though they weren't allowed near the concession counters.