Can Ants See?
Yes, ants can see. Most ants have a visual system that consists of a pair of compound eyes and a set of simple eyes called ocelli. This visual system allows them to detect motion, light, and color.
That said, there are also some ants that are completely blind. These ants include subterranean which have severely reduced eyes or have no eyes at all.
In this article, we’ll learn more about the ant visual system and why some ants are blind.
How Can Ants See?
Ants can see through their visual system. This system consists of compound eyes and ocelli which have different functions.
Compound eyes, provide ants with a large field of view and allow them to form images of their environment. They detect motion, differentiate between light and dark, and differentiate color.
Ocelli, on the other hand, are simple photo-receptors used to detect light. For example, ants use them to detect changes in skylight patterns or celestial cues.
Do Ants Have Good Eyesight?
Ants can see clearly enough to help with evading predators and navigation. However, their vision is blurry when compared to us humans and other mammals. This is due to the structure of their compound eyes. [2]
Human or mammalian eyes work as one functional unit. A singular lens focuses all light onto photoreceptors on the retina to produce a clear image.
Compound eyes, on the other hand, consist of multiple independent photoreception units. These units are called ommatidia and each of them focuses on and sees only one point of an image. What an ant perceives is a pixelated combination of all these points.
The clarity of an image that an ant perceives depends on the number of ommatidia in its eyes. The higher the number, the clearer the image. Smaller ants tend to have fewer ommatidia and have worse vision than bigger ants. [3]
Can Ants See Color?
Yes, ants can see color. Research has found that Australian bull ants have 3 types of color-sensitive photoreceptors. These photoreceptors can detect the colors blue, green, and UV. [4]
In contrast, most mammals only have 2 types. We humans have 3, but we can’t detect UV. This means that ants are capable of seeing things that other mammals and we can’t.
Can Ants See In The Dark?
Yes, they can. In fact, some nocturnal ants can see quite well in the dark. The eyes of some nocturnal ants have larger facets and wider rhabdoms. These allow them to see 27 times better in dim-light conditions.
Can All Ants See?
Not all ants can see. Many subterranean ants are blind or have no eyes at all. These ants include many species like the strange Martialis heureka. They can also be found in army ants, a representative group of nomadic and predatory ants. These ants rely on pheromones to find their way around.
Why are Some Ants Blind?
While it may sound counter-intuitive, some ants are blind due to evolution. These ants don’t need eyes because they live in the dark and lightless underground. As a result, their eyes have either been severely reduced or even removed to save energy.
Related Questions
Can Ants See Bacteria or Other Microorganisms?
No, ants can not see bacteria or other microorganisms. The ant visual system is similar to ours in that it’s limited by the wavelength of light. At this wavelength, it’s impossible to see any microorganisms.
Can Ants See Humans?
Yes, ants can see humans. However, they probably can’t distinguish us from other vertebrates. They are unlikely to have a mental concept of what humans are and instead view us simply as giant threats.
How Many Eyes Do Ants Have?
Most ants have 2 compound eyes and a set of simple eyes. These sets may include 1 to 3 ocelli depending on the species.
See this article to learn more about ant eyes.
Summary
To summarize, ants can see. Most ants have a visual system of compound eyes and ocelli. This system allows them to form images of their environment and detect motion.
That said, their vision isn’t the best. Their eye structure consists of units called ommatidia. These units only capture only one point of the whole picture. The image an ant perceives is a pixelated combination of all these points.
Despite that, ants do have visual advantages. For instance, they have a wide field of vision and are efficient in detecting movement. Some ant species also see well in the dark and are capable of seeing UV which we humans can’t.
