Ants are more than an annoyance. They are the most prolific creatures in this world. Surprisingly, ants are hard-working creatures known for their unity. They are truly fascinating creatures in this world where they can lift 100 times more weight than their body.
Have you ever had a thought of ants swimming in the water? Do ants repel water or love to swim in the water?
Keep reading till the end to know some interesting facts about ants and water.
Can Ants swim?
Ants and swimming? Ants are the best foragers, but most of the ant species cannot swim. They can float on top of the water. However, an ant’s body tends to repel water. These ants cannot swim like we see dogs swimming in the water. The ant’s legs are not suitable for the type of forwarding motion we need while swimming. They will try to swim clumsily and kick themselves around.
Building a raft:
Ants cannot swim, no problem. They are inventive creatures. When the floodwater gets accumulated in and around their nests, fire ants can join their legs to build a raft. They will become more buoyant when they band together. If the fire ants get submerged in the water, they can pop up back to the ground surface.
As a result, these ants can float on top of the water until they find a suitable dry place to build a new home.
The Diving ant:
Camponotus schmitzi is the only exception in the ant species that cannot swim. These are known as Diving Ants. These ant species are a type of carpenter ants and native to Borneo.
They get this name due to their habit of diving into the digestive fluids of their host plant. They grab insects that have fallen into the trap.
Researchers have tried to study their behavior towards swimming. The changes in the chemistry of an ant’s body allow them to break through the surface and make them able to float on water. Additionally, these ant species use their legs under the liquid the same way they use it on the land surface. It suggests that the adaption is recent.
Ants don’t have lungs:
Ants do not have lungs. It is one of the advantages for ants that are underwater. Since ants are tiny creatures, they do not space in their bodies for complex respiratory systems like mammals.
So, from where do ants breathe? They breathe through a series of holes around the sides of their bodies called spiracles.
The network of tubes connected to the spiracles in the ant’s body passes oxygen to every cell in the body. When the ants move, they transmit oxygen to every part and emit carbon dioxide through these tubes. Ants can close the holes to keep water from coming in. Thus, they won’t drown and get dry faster.
Wrapping up:
Ants are efficient creatures, and they know how to survive well if they end up getting into the water. Again, if you have some extreme ant infestations, do not try to put ants in the water as they can survive in water. Consult pest control experts to remove them permanently.