Ants show remarkable resilience in water, enduring conditions that would quickly overwhelm many other creatures. The question of whether ants can drown reveals fascinating biological adaptations and collective behaviors. Their unique physiological makeup allows them to survive submersion for extended periods, combining individual resilience with communal strategies.
How Ants Breathe
Ants possess a respiratory system distinct from mammals; they do not have lungs. They breathe through tiny openings called spiracles, located along the sides of their bodies. These spiracles connect to an intricate system of branching tubes known as tracheae, which directly deliver oxygen to cells throughout their bodies.
Gas exchange occurs through diffusion within these tracheal tubes, with oxygen entering and carbon dioxide exiting. Ants can close their spiracles to prevent water entry. However, prolonged submersion leads to suffocation as trapped oxygen depletes and carbon dioxide accumulates.
Water-Resistant Features
An ant’s external anatomy provides protection against water. Their exoskeleton is covered with a waxy, hydrophobic cuticle that repels water. This coating prevents moisture from adhering to their bodies, helping them remain dry even when exposed to water.
Surface tension plays a role in their interaction with water. Ants are light enough to walk on the water’s surface without breaking its tension. When submerged, their hydrophobic cuticle can trap a thin layer of air around their bodies, forming a plastron layer. This trapped air pocket provides buoyancy and a limited amount of oxygen, allowing them to survive underwater for some time.
Conditions Affecting Survival
The duration an ant can survive underwater depends on environmental and physiological factors. Some ant species can endure submersion for up to 24 hours, while others survive for as long as 14 days. Lower water temperatures reduce an ant’s metabolic rate, decreasing oxygen consumption and extending survival time.
Water quality also impacts survival. Pure water allows the hydrophobic cuticle to function effectively. However, surfactants, like soap, can reduce surface tension and compromise the exoskeleton’s water-repellent properties. This allows water to penetrate the spiracles, leading to drowning. Different ant species vary in water tolerance, with some adapted to aquatic environments.
Collective Water Survival
Beyond individual physiological adaptations, ants demonstrate collective behaviors to survive floods. A well-known strategy is the formation of living rafts. When floodwaters threaten a colony, such as fire ants, thousands to millions of ants link their bodies together using claws, jaws, and adhesive pads.
This self-assembled structure floats on the water’s surface, a buoyant, waterproof vessel that can sustain the colony for days or weeks. Ants at the raft’s bottom create a watertight base. The entire structure protects the queen and young larvae by placing them in the center or on top. The collective body of ants enhances water repellency, forming a communal hydrophobic surface that prevents water from penetrating the raft.