{"id":2047,"date":"2021-09-05T10:34:52","date_gmt":"2021-09-05T02:34:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2047"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:16:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:16:06","slug":"can-ants-die-from-falling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Ants Die From Falling?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>If we\u2019re talking about impact, then no, ants can\u2019t die from falling. In fact, they rarely get hurt or injured from falls.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll look into the secret of how ants survive falls. More specifically, we&#8217;ll discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The concept of terminal velocity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How the ant anatomy allows for safe falls<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How ants have adapted to survive falls<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ll also discuss some situations wherein falling can spell doom for ants. Before all of that though, how high can ants fall and survive exactly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#How_High_Can_Ants_Fall_From_and_Survive\" title=\"How High Can Ants Fall From and Survive?\">How High Can Ants Fall From and Survive?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#How_Do_Ants_Survive_Falls\" title=\"How Do Ants Survive Falls?\">How Do Ants Survive Falls?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#Terminal_Velocity\" title=\"Terminal Velocity\">Terminal Velocity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#How_Ant_Anatomy_Allows_for_Safer_Falls\" title=\"How Ant Anatomy Allows for Safer Falls\">How Ant Anatomy Allows for Safer Falls<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#Some_Ants_Can_Glide\" title=\"Some Ants Can Glide\">Some Ants Can Glide<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#When_Can_Ants_Die_from_Falling\" title=\"When Can Ants Die from Falling?\">When Can Ants Die from Falling?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#Related_Questions\" title=\"Related Questions\">Related Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#Do_Ants_Feel_Pain_When_They_Fall\" title=\"Do Ants Feel Pain When They Fall?\">Do Ants Feel Pain When They Fall?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#Can_Ants_Fly\" title=\"Can Ants Fly?\">Can Ants Fly?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#Do_Ants_Die_In_Water\" title=\"Do Ants Die In Water?\">Do Ants Die In Water?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-die-from-falling\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_High_Can_Ants_Fall_From_and_Survive\"><\/span>How High Can Ants Fall From and Survive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Theoretically, <strong>ants can fall and survive from any height<\/strong>. They\u2019ll live if they fall from a table, the roof of a house, or even the empire state building. Due to their anatomy, certain adaptations, and physics, ants don&#8217;t get hurt from falling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Survive_Falls\"><\/span>How Do Ants Survive Falls?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are 3 main reasons why ants survive falls. These reasons are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Terminal_Velocity\"><\/span>Terminal Velocity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Terminal velocity is the constant speed achieved by a free-falling object. It occurs when the resistance of the medium equals the force of gravity. When these opposing forces balance out, acceleration becomes 0 and speed is constant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So how does this concept relate to ants? Well, ants have low terminal velocities of around 6.4 km\/h (3.97 mph) or less. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/technology\/ants-slow-fall-key-to-survival\/article4275684\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/technology\/ants-slow-fall-key-to-survival\/article4275684\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/van.physics.illinois.edu\/ask\/listing\/2099\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/van.physics.illinois.edu\/ask\/listing\/2099\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>] This means that <strong>ants fall slowly like feathers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This slow fall <strong>reduces the impact force<\/strong> on ants when they hit the ground, leading to non-fatal results. For reference, ants fall much slower than cats (97 km\/h or 60mph) which we know can survive falls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Ant_Anatomy_Allows_for_Safer_Falls\"><\/span>How Ant Anatomy Allows for Safer Falls<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While ants don\u2019t fall hard into the ground, they still have to brace themselves for the hit. Fortunately for them, they have tough exoskeletons. These exoskeletons can deform, absorb, and <strong>spread the impact<\/strong> of the fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if they do sustain injuries to their exoskeletons, they can easily seal off breaks. Like other insects, ants have clotting mechanisms which prevent them from bleeding out. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0965174818304417\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0965174818304417\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ant organ systems are also structured such that impact won\u2019t knock them out or kill them. For instance, their nervous system is distributed throughout the body.&nbsp; Therefore, a hard blow to their heads won\u2019t affect them in the same way that it affects vertebrates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Some_Ants_Can_Glide\"><\/span>Some Ants Can Glide<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b2-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b2-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b2-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b2-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/can-ants-die-from-falling-b2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Cephalotes_Atratus,.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Eduardo Estrada, Wildlife &amp; Conservation Photography<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Scientists have discovered that some <strong>ants are capable of gliding<\/strong>. Ant species like the <em>Cephalotes atratus<\/em> and Pseudomyrmecinae ants fall with style. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.berkeley.edu\/news\/media\/releases\/2005\/02\/09_ants.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.berkeley.edu\/news\/media\/releases\/2005\/02\/09_ants.shtml\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s likely that ants learned to glide to avoid getting lost or dying from falling on the forest floor. Through gliding, they can safely avoid floods and predators. It also presents another means for them to survive falls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Can_Ants_Die_from_Falling\"><\/span>When Can Ants Die from Falling?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Details matter. While ants don\u2019t mind the impact of falls, they are wary of <strong>where they end up falling<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Falling onto a concrete floor might mean nothing to ants, but falling into water can lead to their death. There they&#8217;re at risk of drowning and being preyed upon by fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, the forest floor may seem like a soft and safe place to fall, but not when it&#8217;s flooded or full of predators.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Questions\"><\/span>Related Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Will an Ant Survive Being Dropped Off a Building? The Insect Drop Experiment\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TQR9gvtnpkY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Feel_Pain_When_They_Fall\"><\/span>Do Ants Feel Pain When They Fall?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No, ants don\u2019t feel pain when they fall. While ants can indeed feel pain, falling generally does not lead to any injuries that cause it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Ants_Fly\"><\/span>Can Ants Fly?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some species of <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-wings\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2501\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">ants develop wings<\/a> and the ability to fly during the reproductive stage. These ants include the drones and young queens which swarm once a year to undergo a nuptial flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Die_In_Water\"><\/span>Do Ants Die In Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants can die in water. While some ants can survive weeks in water, they eventually drown or get eaten by predators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-die-in-water\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2425\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">ants in water<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To summarize, ants don\u2019t die from falling. That is if we are talking specifically about fall impact. Ants have low terminal velocity and strong bodies which allow them to absorb the impact of falls. If that\u2019s not enough, some ants have even learned to glide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If we\u2019re talking about impact, then no, ants can\u2019t die from falling. In fact, they rarely get hurt or injured from falls. In this article, we&#8217;ll look into the secret of how ants survive falls. More specifically, we&#8217;ll discuss the following: We&#8217;ll also discuss some situations wherein falling can spell doom for ants. Before all&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3190,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2047"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3765,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047\/revisions\/3765"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}