Can Ants Walk on Water?
WouterSeveral insect species can walk on water. These include ants, water striders and water bugs. Many of these species have specially adapted feet to create surface tension.
Surface tension keeps ants and other water-walking insects afloat. It also creates friction and allows them to climb on a variety of surfaces, including glass and metal. Ants have small hairs on their feet to provide friction and prevent them from being sucked under. They also use claws to drag objects around.
They also have pheromones, which enable them to communicate and socialize with each other. Their antennas also help them bump into each other. In addition, ants can detect chemicals in the water and detect the presence of food.
A recent study published in Current Biology investigated ants’ swimming speed. These researchers measured the swimming speed of two ant species: the field ant and the black carpenter ant. They found that these insects can swim at speeds comparable to human swimming speed. However, their terminal velocity is not fast enough to kill them on impact with the ground. The study also found that ants use several different techniques to swim.
The field ants could swim at a rate of 10 meters per second. The black carpenter ant could double this rate. They also used their forelegs to propel themselves. This allowed them to double the maximum velocity of their swims.
These ants also create their own living rafts. They can travel on rafts for months at a time. Ant rafts are one of the longest-lasting structures found in nature.
