How High Can Ants Go?
WouterDespite the fact that they are small and light, ants can survive a fall from heights that would be very difficult for humans. Some ants nest high up in trees while others build nests below the surface of the earth.
The majority of ant colonies are situated in soil. But ants can also build large above-ground mounds. For example, the Florida harvester ant can create nests up to three meters deep. Wood ants spend the summer in their upper nest and retreat underground in the winter when temperatures cool.
They have a hard outer shell. The outer layer of the ant’s skeleton is made from tough substance called chitin. It is similar to keratin and is very strong. It is the only thing that holds ants together.
The ant’s nervous system is located throughout the body. Ants have claws and adhesive pads on their feet. They also have a waist. This is the part of the ant’s body that is located after the thin waist.
The ant’s head can take a blow that would knock a vertebrate unconscious. It is also able to take blows that would kill vertebrates.
When ants fall, they have a fast terminal velocity. Their falling speed is 1.66 meters per second. This speed depends on their size and shape. The terminal velocity is the highest speed that an object can travel through the air.
The terminal velocity is the maximum speed at which an object will stop accelerating and begin to fall. This is called autothysis. It is from the Greek word auto, meaning self.
