How Long Ants Sleep
WouterSeveral species of ants sleep, but the length of sleep varies. Some species may only sleep for a few minutes while others may sleep for several hours. The length of sleep varies from colony to colony.
The average worker ant will sleep for four hours and forty-eight minutes. Worker ants will take about a hundred naps per day. These naps are short. Each nap will last only a few minutes. The amount of sleep a worker gets depends on how active the colony is.
Queen ants will sleep for six minutes at a time. Queen ants are the most well-rested caste in the colony. They have a longer sleep cycle, which may explain why they live longer. Their lifestyle is more relaxed than previously thought.
A study by the University of South Florida revealed that queens sleep more than workers. The queens averaged nine hours of sleep per day. This is almost twice the length of sleep that worker ants typically take.
During their naps, queen ants’ antennae remain partially raised. Researchers compared this to the rapid antennal movement that occurs during REM sleep in vertebrates. This suggests that ants may enter deep sleep during these periods.
Researchers have also discovered that ants do not sleep in a regular pattern. They sleep at odd times throughout the day. During these periods of inactivity, they pile on top of each other. In addition, they may be unable to respond to contact.
