Can Ants Hear Sound?
WouterUntil recently, no one knew if ants could hear sound. But thanks to new research, we now know that they can.
To detect sound, ants have special sensors on their feet and knees. They also have an antenna that picks up chemicals and can move to detect objects in front of them. This antenna is also a tactual receptor and can sense a wide range of chemicals, including scents and odors.
For the most part, ants are not terribly sensitive to human-made sound, but they do respond to natural background noise. In fact, they respond much more quickly to sounds with higher decibel levels than they do to lower ones.
However, there are some ant species that are particularly sensitive to certain sounds. This may have something to do with how the brain processes information.
There are several ant species that produce a squeaking sound. This may be a way for foragers to signal that they need help. Ants also produce the audible sound that is made by rubbing two hard parts of the abdomen together. It is also used to alert other ants to the presence of food.
Researchers have also found that ants can detect certain beats and rhythms. They can also detect substrate-borne vibrations. But ants haven’t been able to figure out how they do this.
There are some ant species that do have a really impressive squeaking mechanism. These species produce a small squeaking sound when they rub the curved section of the petiole against the substrate.
