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Ants are one of the most common pests encountered in homes and businesses. There are more than 10,000 known ant species found across the globe, and are a subject of constant study by entomologists and scientists. Ants are truly fascinating creatures. Don’t believe us? Here are 10 facts about ants that will definitely change your mind!
1. Ants have superhuman strength!
Yes, you did read that correctly. Ants are ridiculously strong. They have the ability to carry between 10 and 50 times their own body weight! The amount an ant can carry depends on the species. The Asian weaver ant, for example, can lift 100 times its own mass.
Why are ants strong?
This amazing strength is a result of their small size, believe it or not. The Arizona State University reports that because of their small size, ants’ muscles have a greater cross-sectional area relative to their body size compared to larger animals. This means they can produce more force.
2. Ants don’t have lungs
Due to their small size, ants don’t have the room to accommodate a complex respiratory system such as ours. Instead, they have their own ways of respiration to help transport oxygen around their bodies.
How do ants breathe?
Ants breathe in oxygen through spiracles, a series of holes located on the sides of their bodies. The spiracles are connected through a network of tubes, which help distribute the oxygen to almost every cell in their body.
An ant’s movement helps the oxygen circulate through the tubes, and the released carbon dioxide exits through the same tubes.
How long can ants hold their breath?
There are many unique characteristics of ants that help them survive in tough conditions. One of the most surprising: they can hold their breath for up to 24 hours.
Fun fact – when an ant is in danger (like during a flood) it can close its spiracles to stop water from entering. This allows the ant to survive underwater or in low-oxygen environments until it finds safety.
3. Ants don't have ears
Unlike other pests such as rats, ants don’t have ears. But that doesn’t mean they are deaf. How do ants hear?
Ants use vibrations to hear, using them when foraging for food or as an alarm signal. Ants use the vibrations in the ground to hear by picking them up in the subgenual organ, which is located below the knee.
Do ants have eyes or not?
Ants do have eyes. Most ants have compound eyes, which are made up of many tiny lenses. These eyes help them see light, shadows, and movement, but they don’t have sharp vision like humans.
Some black ants, like carpenter ants and odorous house ants, have weak eyesight. Others, like army ants, are almost blind and rely on their antennae to find their way.
4. There are a lot of ants in the world
The phrase “a lot” is an understatement when describing the amount of ants currently in existence. To put things in perspective, it is estimated that there are around 1 million ants for every 1 human in the world!
Ants have pretty much conquered the entire globe. With the exception of Antarctica, the Arctic, and a handful of islands, there is at least one native species of ant found on every continent. Some species, like the bullet ant, are famous for their painful stings, while other species may bite to defend the colony. Others, like leafcutter ants, are known for farming fungus. Pavement ants are often seen in cities, while Argentine ants form massive colonies that can spread to new places quickly.
No matter the species, you can’t deny that ants have adapted to thrive. Entomologist Ted Schultz says that ant presence across the world is “arguably the greatest success story in the history of terrestrial metazoa.“
5. Some ant species are asexual
Rather than going down the traditional route of reproduction, some Amazonian ants have taken to reproduce via cloning. It is reported that the queen ants copy themselves to genetically produce daughters, resulting in a colony with no male ants.
6. Ants are farmers
You may be thinking “what?!” But it’s true, besides humans, ants are the only creatures that will farm other creatures.
Just like we raise cows, sheep, pigs, chicken, and fish in order to obtain a food source, ants will do the same with other insects. The most common occurrence of this is with aphids. Ants will protect aphids from natural predators, and shelter them in their nests from heavy rain showers in order to gain a constant supply of honeydew. Learn more about ant colonies, their roles and structures in our article.
7. Ants have two stomachs
That’s right, ants have two stomachs, and it’s not because they are greedy. One of their stomachs is for holding food for their own consumption, and the second one is to hold food that’s shared with other ants.
Worker ants feed the colony, including the queen and developing larvae, by regurgitating stored food from their second stomach. This process is known as trophallaxis and allows an ant colony to work extremely efficiently. It allows for the ants who forage for food to feed those who stay behind and tend to the duties of the queen and the nest.
Do ants have a heart?
Yes, ants do have a heart—but it’s very different from a human heart. Instead of a beating muscle with chambers, an ant’s heart is a long, thin tube that runs along its back. This tube pumps a clear fluid called hemolymph (similar to blood in humans) throughout the ant’s body. Hemolymph carries nutrients and oxygen, helping ants stay active and strong.
Even though ants don’t have veins like humans, their bodies still have a way to move nutrients and oxygen around. Instead of a network of veins and arteries, ants have an open circulatory system.
This means that their hemolymph doesn’t flow through tubes like ours does. Instead, it moves freely inside their bodies, surrounding their organs and delivering the nutrients they need to survive.
8. Ants can swim
Well, not all ants can swim, it depends on the species. They haven’t mastered the butterfly or breaststroke yet, but they do have the ability to survive in water by using their own version of the doggy paddle and can float for long periods of time.
To put it simply, ants are amazing survivors. Not only can they hold their breath underwater for long periods of time, but they will also build lifeboats to survive floods. It can be especially dangerous when fire ants do this.
9. Ants are slave-makers
This may sound strange, but hear us out. Some species of ants, such as the Polyergus lucidus, are known as slave-making ants. They invade neighboring ant colonies, capturing its inhabitants and forcing them to work for them. This process is known as ‘slave raiding’.
Slave-making ants are specialized to parasite a single species or a group of related species which are often close relatives to them. The captured ants will work as if they were in their own colony, while the slave-making workers will only concentrate on replenishing their labor force.
Slave-making ants come in two formats: permanent social parasites and facultative slave-makers. Permanent social parasites rely on the enslaved ants throughout their lives whilst facultative slave-makers do not.
10. Ants are as old as dinosaurs
A study from Harvard and Florida State Universities discovered that ants first rose during the Cretaceous period around 130 million years ago! They have survived the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T extinction) that killed the dinosaurs as well as the ice age.
So while it's possible to remove ants from your home or business, getting rid of them from the planet is a much harder task. These interesting creatures have proven time and again that they’re here to stay.
For expert advice and solutions on how to control ants, get in contact with Western Exterminator today.
Bonus facts about ants
Frequently asked questions
Do ants get tired?
Yes, ants need rest. While they don’t sleep like humans, they take short naps throughout the day. Worker ants nap for a few minutes at a time, while the queen ant can rest longer to stay strong and keep laying eggs.
Do ants feel pain?
Ants don’t feel pain like humans because they lack pain receptors. However, they can sense damage and react to danger. If injured, they may try to protect themselves or retreat. Some ants, like army ants, even help injured nestmates survive.