How Hot Can Ants Get?
WouterUnlike other animals, ants do not generate their own heat. Instead, they depend on the temperature of the environment to regulate their temperature. During hot weather, ants can move to a warmer place, like an underground nest, to conserve their energy. They also use strategic tunnels to regulate their internal temperature.
During cold weather, ants also use cold air to cool their nests. Some ants even hibernate during winter to avoid freezing. However, this doesn’t mean that they can’t survive in cold temperatures. Several species can withstand temperatures as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit.
During the summer, ants may build larger nests than in the winter, depending on the species. Some ants, such as Florida harvester ants, can build nests that are as tall as seven feet. They can also build nests that are as small as half an inch.
In the desert, ants scavenge when other animals have fled. They can also build a nest under the bark of a tree or in a mound of soil. In winter, ants usually go deeper into the earth to conserve energy.
The hairs on an ant’s body are arranged at a 90 degree angle. These hairs are reflective and anti-reflective in the mid-infrared solar spectrum. They are also triangular in shape. These hairs are important for ants because they can help them survive in extreme temperatures.
In fact, some ants can even survive in temperatures as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit. However, this is a very small percentage of ants. Several species can survive in temperatures as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
