When Does Ants Sleep?
WouterUnlike humans, ants do not sleep for eight hours every day. But they do sleep, and they do it in different ways. For instance, worker ants go to sleep for several minutes at a time.
Queen ants, on the other hand, sleep for longer periods of time. They typically sleep for six minutes at a time. They may even have dreams. They will often close their mouths. But they also don’t sleep with their antennae folded like humans do. They sleep with them raised at mid-body level.
Queen ants are also much better rested than worker ants. They will take nine hours of sleep per day. They are also capable of laying up to 300,000 eggs in a single day. And they do this in a more regular pattern than workers.
In the winter months, ants will hibernate. They will do this because the temperature is too cold outside for them to survive. But they will also sleep in burrows, which are usually warm. They may even sleep in tunnels. These tunnels are often hidden from predators.
In the spring, ants go out to forage for food. They will also work to bring in food. In fact, many animals will consider ants a tasty snack. And they do not get tired of their work, unlike humans.
A recent study conducted by the University of South Florida found that workers sleep eight minutes per 12 hours, and queens sleep nine hours per day. The difference in their sleep cycles, according to the researchers, is the result of social hierarchy.
