Ants don't have lungs ... Air comes in and goes out through pores so they don't have control on this process. But they need air. A friend of mine thinks that ants can hold their breath underwater for up to 14 days.
In my opinion a single drop of water could kill an ant. And 14 days without eating or being exposed to the sun light would lead to their death, wouldn't it ?
I don't want to influence your replies though.
Does anyone know ?
2006-10-19 15:30:15 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
The tiny pores that you are refereing to are actually called spiracles. These "brething holes" actually have valves on the surface that can close and prohibit water from entering, thereby they avoid taking on water....
Ants are quite small and their food and oxygen requirements are quite low, this fact also reduces the chances that they would die of nutritional deprivation or asphyxiation.
Because of tiny hairs called sensilla which cover the ant's body, they are able to trap small amounts of oxygen against the body. Ants from some tropical regions which are prone to flooding can hold more oxygen against their bodies than some from the more temperate regions. They may be able to "inhale" some of this oxygen periodically to prolong life....
Hope this helps!
2006-10-20 02:09:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
NOT possible.. Keep in mind that The average life expectancy of an ant is 45-60 days.
And...Ants do not have lungs. Oxygen enters through tiny holes all over the body and Carbon Dioxide leaves through the same holes. There are no blood vessels. The heart is a long tube that pumps colorless blood from the head back to the rear and then back up to the head again. The blood kind of coats the insides of the ants and is then sucked into the tube and pumped up to the head again.This IS ANOTHER factor against the possibility of them being under water for even a minute....
I have to hasten to add that the FIRE ANT does like water and will often have its colonies near water or MOIST areas but they do not LIVE IN water
2006-10-20 09:15:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The "Real" answer is: Ants are of a "size" that water's intrinsic "Surface Tension" extends all the way around your common ant (some of the very large ants may not be afforded this luxury).
As such, an ant that is forced below the waters surface automatically carries with it a "bubble" of air that is held in place by the intrinsic property of water's surface tension. This air bubble can sustain an ant for a very long time.
If you want to drown an ant quickly just add some dish soap to the water and wait a few minutes. The dish soap "breaks" the surface tension and the air bubble collapses.
2006-10-19 22:44:27 · answer #3 · answered by TommyTrouble 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well I dont think so. Ive poured water on ants and they swim out, but I dont think they could survive 14 days. Just get a container of water and ants, put the ants in the water making sure the water is filled to the top, and then see the outcome. I think that is the only way you will find this answer
2006-10-19 22:39:28 · answer #4 · answered by A* 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ants only live about 3 weeks if not seperated from the colony, or 1 week if seperated. Even if they could breath, they would die anyway.
No, I don't think they can breath underwater; the concentration of O2 in water is much lower than it is in the air.
;-)
2006-10-19 22:33:27 · answer #5 · answered by WikiJo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not an expert on ants but I don't think they can hold their breath for even an hour! In 14 days they would have been fish food long ago!
2006-10-19 22:33:05 · answer #6 · answered by blu_drgn25 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know actually I haven't seen an ant holding its breathe for 14 days .And haven't heard of a research about it .But I think ants wouldn't like to try this. But if they want they can achieve .I don't know their system but impossible is nothing.
2006-10-20 09:14:06 · answer #7 · answered by xeibeg 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a solution to kill ants that enter my home. I spray them with one part dishwater detergent and twenty parts water. It creates a film of water and soap around them and they die nearly instantly. Therefore it seems to me that ants can't survive for more than a second or so without oxygen. I suspect that in water they obtain some oxygen and therefore hang on for a hour or so.
2006-10-20 12:34:27 · answer #8 · answered by JimZ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right but your friend isn't.Ants breath through spiracles,which are like holes at the side of their body.If they were put into the water,they wont even be able to survive for a minute.
If the ant is able to swim then it has a chance to keep its spiracles above the water and therefore will survive being able to breath.
2006-10-20 04:38:58 · answer #9 · answered by farhan ferdous 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An ant can survive for up to two days underwater.
2006-10-20 00:09:37 · answer #10 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋