Can Ants Carry Heavy Loads?
WouterConsidering ants’ small size and weight, you would expect them to be able to carry only a small load. But new research suggests that ants can carry a lot more than you might think.
In fact, new research has found that ants can lift objects that weigh more than 20 times their own weight. In fact, they can even lift objects that weigh 50 times their own weight.
Ants are able to carry such a load because of their small size and muscles. Their muscles are also thicker than those of larger animals. This allows them to produce more force per milligram.
Ants also have a neck structure that allows them to carry heavy objects in nature. The neck itself can withstand a load up to 5,000 times its own weight.
The Insect Robotics Lab at the University of Edinburgh performed a study on this. The lab also studied ants’ ability to navigate using computer models.
The Insect Robotics lab’s findings suggest that ants can lift heavier objects than what you might expect. The ant’s neck is designed to carry heavier objects than other insects. In fact, it can carry an object as heavy as a pound of lead.
Other researchers have long observed ants carrying small objects in the wild. For example, ants can carry an object as heavy as a VW Beetle with five men inside. They are also capable of hauling large pieces of food as a team.
