Do Ants Work in the Rain?

During a rainy season, you may find yourself wondering “do ants work in the rain?” While it is true that ants do not like the dampness, they have a few tricks up their sleeves to keep them afloat.

First, they build mounds. These mounds are made from soil that absorbs water. They act as a barrier for rainwater and are also a resting place for insects.

Ants also create short tunnels to drain water from their nests. They can build as many as 26 feet deep. They also build air pockets within the tunnels to keep water from getting inside the nest chambers. These air pockets are important to keep the nest dry when it is flooded.

Another trick ants use is to build air bubbles inside their nests to keep them dry. They do this by building huge piles of soil over their nests.

Ants also build scent trails. These trails allow ants to find their way back to their nests when the rains come and the sun dries out.

A study done by Jacob Holloway at the University of Georgia found that ants actually change their behaviour before a rainstorm hits. They will scramble to their nests thirty percent faster than usual. They also use their bodies to create rafts to help them get on dry ground.

They also use their antennae to detect tiny changes in temperature. The Florida carpenter ant, for instance, has 400 genes for detecting odours.