How Hot Can Ants Survive?
WouterBesides feeding on plants and grains, ants have a lot to offer the environment. They pollinate plants and decompose soil. They also store food as glycogen under the skin layers. They carry food into their nests for the winter months.
Ants are attracted to heat. They can survive in temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. However, they cannot remain active in cold weather. If they are left in the cold, they will freeze and die. Ants can also be killed if they are lost from their nest.
In order to survive in temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit, ants change their foraging patterns. They reduce their activity and move to warmer areas. They also re-arrange the spatial structure of their colonies. This helps them re-emit their excess heat.
The silvery ants of the Sahara have hairs that reflect visible and mid-infrared light. These hairs are arranged in a triangular shape, allowing the excess heat to be re-emitted.
They also have micron-thick hairs. These hairs grow at an angle of 90 degrees. This gives the ants heat-shielding powers. The hairs also have a small air gap to help the ants cool down.
Researchers also discovered that the ants’ hairs have mid-infrared wavelengths, allowing them to effectively re-emit their heat. This is important for ants because it allows them to exchange their heat with a cooler environment.
In addition to their hairs, the ants also have triangular cross-sections, which are highly reflective in near-infrared light. This helps the ants reflect sunlight and re-emit heat.
