Ants are widespread insects known for their complex social structures and adaptability. A common question is how they cope with rain. Their behavior and survival mechanisms during wet periods reveal their resilience.
Ant Activity During Rain
Most ants instinctively seek shelter or remain within their nests when heavy rain begins. They detect changes in humidity and air pressure that often precede rainfall. Some species close their nest entrances, sealing off their underground homes.
Individual ants caught outside face substantial physical challenges. Despite this, their lightweight bodies enable them to float on water due to surface tension. Ants can also survive submersion by trapping air bubbles against their bodies and closing their spiracles, allowing them to endure underwater for up to 24 hours. While heavy downpours typically drive them to shelter, ants might be observed during light drizzles or when forced to relocate quickly due to immediate nest flooding.
Protecting Nests and Surviving Flooding
Ant colonies employ strategies and adaptations to protect their nests and survive flooding. Their underground nests feature tunnels and chambers, often burrowed deep into the soil. Some mounds are constructed from materials that absorb moisture and dry rapidly, channeling water away from the core colony. Ants also create internal air pockets within their nests, serving as dry refuges during inundation. In response to rising water, worker ants may block nest entrances with soil, twigs, or even their own bodies.
Worker ants move vulnerable brood, including eggs, larvae, and pupae, to higher, drier sections within the nest. In widespread flooding, species like fire ants form living rafts. Thousands of fire ants link their legs and jaws, creating a buoyant mass that can float for days. These rafts protect the entire colony, including the queen and young, safeguarded in the center. Their waxy coating aids water repellency and helps trap air bubbles, enhancing buoyancy and allowing them to breathe.
Post-Rain Recovery and Rebuilding
Once the rain subsides, ants emerge from their shelters to assess damage to their nests. They promptly begin clearing debris from tunnels and repairing collapsed chambers. Foraging activities typically resume, often with increased intensity, as heavy rains can wash away outdoor food sources, prompting ants to search for new sustenance.
If a nest has sustained severe damage or been completely inundated, colonies may initiate a full relocation to a new site. This search for dry ground often leads ants to seek shelter indoors, resulting in increased sightings within human dwellings. The queen’s survival is important during this recovery period, as she produces new ants, essential for the colony’s long-term resilience.