{"id":2217,"date":"2021-11-30T17:18:46","date_gmt":"2021-11-30T09:18:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2217"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:13:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:13:09","slug":"are-ants-cold-blooded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Ants Cold-Blooded?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Yes, ants are ectotherms or cold-blooded. This means that they can\u2019t regulate body temperature internally. Instead, they have to rely on external environmental sources like sunlight for thermoregulation.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll learn more about ants as ectotherms as we discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Why ants are cold-blooded<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How ants thermoregulate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why ants thermoregulate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How temperature affects ants<\/li>\n<\/ul>\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\/11\/are-ants-cold-blooded-b-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"are ants cold-blooded\" class=\"wp-image-3281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/are-ants-cold-blooded-b-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/are-ants-cold-blooded-b-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/are-ants-cold-blooded-b-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/are-ants-cold-blooded-b.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/salgir-10800086\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6579333\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/salgir-10800086\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6579333\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">n<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/salgir-10800086\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6579333\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">na<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6579333\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/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\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Why_are_Ants_Cold-Blooded\" title=\"Why are Ants Cold-Blooded?\">Why are Ants Cold-Blooded?<\/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\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#How_Do_Ants_Thermoregulate\" title=\"How Do Ants Thermoregulate?\">How Do Ants Thermoregulate?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Why_Do_Ants_Need_To_Thermoregulate\" title=\"Why Do Ants Need To Thermoregulate?\">Why Do Ants Need To Thermoregulate?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#What_is_the_Ideal_Body_Temperature_for_Ants\" title=\"What is the Ideal Body Temperature for Ants?\">What is the Ideal Body Temperature for Ants?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Do_Ants_Get_Cold\" title=\"Do Ants Get Cold?\">Do Ants Get Cold?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Can_Ants_Survive_Cold_Temperatures\" title=\"Can Ants Survive Cold Temperatures?\">Can Ants Survive Cold Temperatures?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Can_Ants_Freeze_to_Death\" title=\"Can Ants Freeze to Death?\">Can Ants Freeze to Death?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Do_Ants_Get_Hot\" title=\"Do Ants Get Hot?\">Do Ants Get Hot?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Ant_Behavior_and_Temperature\" title=\"Ant Behavior and Temperature\">Ant Behavior and Temperature<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#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-11\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Are_Ants_Attracted_to_Heat\" title=\"Are Ants Attracted to Heat?\">Are Ants Attracted to Heat?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_are_Ants_Cold-Blooded\"><\/span>Why are Ants Cold-Blooded?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are cold-blooded because their <strong>internal physiological sources of heat are limited<\/strong>. While they do produce body heat, they can\u2019t maintain or regulate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, unlike humans, ants can&#8217;t burn calories to raise their body temperature. They also can&#8217;t subconsciously moderate temperature by means of shivering, sweating, or panting. [<a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology2\/chapter\/thermoregulation\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology2\/chapter\/thermoregulation\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Thermoregulate\"><\/span>How Do Ants Thermoregulate?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since ants can\u2019t thermoregulate internally, they have to <strong>rely on external sources of heat<\/strong>. As smart as ants are, they have developed several strategies for thermoregulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is, of course, the very basic <strong>sunning or seeking warm shelter<\/strong>. During the winter they take refuge under heat collectors like rocks or tree barks for warmth. They&#8217;ll also optimize their nests for heating by burrowing deeper underground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the same light, ants stay cool by<strong> keeping away from the sun<\/strong>. During hot periods, they usually just stay in their nests. There they wait for cooler temperatures before they emerge and start foraging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some ants have also been observed to use <strong>complex nesting strategies for thermoregulation<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Red wood ants, for example, use insulating materials to build their nests. They then maintain the temperature through the metabolic heat produced by workers. They also create tunnels and passages in the nest for ventilation. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3962001\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3962001\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Need_To_Thermoregulate\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Need To Thermoregulate?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Temperature directly affects the metabolism of cold-blooded animals like ants. It plays an important role in their ability to function. <strong>By maintaining an ideal temperature, they can move, grow and reproduce normally.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Ideal_Body_Temperature_for_Ants\"><\/span>What is the Ideal Body Temperature for Ants?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The ideal temperature for ants is around <strong>75 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 35\u00b0C) <\/strong>depending on the species. Temperatures above or below this can cause negative physiological changes in ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Get_Cold\"><\/span>Do Ants Get Cold?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants get cold. Ants slow down noticeably during the cold season. In fact, s<strong>ome species become dormant<\/strong> and enter a hibernation-like state called diapause.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Diapause is a biological strategy that ants use to survive unideal conditions. During this state, they become immobile and they stop all activities<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2205\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ant diapause<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Ants_Survive_Cold_Temperatures\"><\/span>Can Ants Survive Cold Temperatures?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants can survive cold temperatures. In fact, ants capable of diapause are essentially <strong>experts in overwintering<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These ants make sure to prepare well before the cold season. They eat a lot during autumn and build up their fat stores. They also optimize their nests for heating. They dig deeper underground or take shelter under heat collectors like rocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Ants_Freeze_to_Death\"><\/span>Can Ants Freeze to Death?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants can freeze to death. Some ants that live in temperate climates are not capable of overwintering. Instead of entering diapause, they enter a <strong>cold coma which often leads to death<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Get_Hot\"><\/span>Do Ants Get Hot?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants also get hot. Studies show that a slight increase in temperature can <strong>cause disorientation<\/strong> in ants. Higher temperatures will also <strong>render them immobile<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cases, extreme heat lead to denaturation. This can cause a disruption in cell activity and cell death. Worst case, ants may <strong>overheat and die<\/strong>. [<a href=\"https:\/\/chem.libretexts.org\/Bookshelves\/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps\/Map%3A_Physical_Chemistry_for_the_Biosciences_(Chang)\/10%3A_Enzyme_Kinetics\/10.08%3A_The_Effect_of_Temperature_on_Enzyme_Kinetics\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/chem.libretexts.org\/Bookshelves\/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps\/Map%3A_Physical_Chemistry_for_the_Biosciences_(Chang)\/10%3A_Enzyme_Kinetics\/10.08%3A_The_Effect_of_Temperature_on_Enzyme_Kinetics\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ant_Behavior_and_Temperature\"><\/span>Ant Behavior and Temperature<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Temperature can also alter ant behavior. For instance, harvester ants <strong>adjust their foraging behavior depending on temperature<\/strong>. They flip-flop between being diurnal or nocturnal to avoid the cold or the summer heat.&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-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/are-ants-reptiles-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2081\" width=\"787\" height=\"411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/are-ants-reptiles-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/are-ants-reptiles-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/are-ants-reptiles-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/are-ants-reptiles.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 787px) 100vw, 787px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/leuchtpunkt-13009256\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=5314020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Andreas Neumann<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=5314020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Ants_Attracted_to_Heat\"><\/span>Are Ants Attracted to Heat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Barring the extremes, yes <strong>ants are attracted to heat<\/strong>. Ants are attracted to whatever helps them survive and as cold-blooded animals, they rely on heat to function.<\/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 are cold-blooded animals. They are not capable of regulating their body temperature. Instead, they have to rely on external sources. They thermoregulate by staying under the sun or seeking shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They are also directly affected by changes in external temperature. Extreme cold or heat can cause physiological and behavioral changes in ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cold, for example, can cause ants to enter a state of dormancy. On the hand, heat can disorient and render them immobile. Both have been shown to cause changes in ant foraging behavior.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, ants are ectotherms or cold-blooded. This means that they can\u2019t regulate body temperature internally. Instead, they have to rely on external environmental sources like sunlight for thermoregulation.&nbsp;&nbsp; In this article, we&#8217;ll learn more about ants as ectotherms as we discuss the following: Why are Ants Cold-Blooded? Ants are cold-blooded because their internal physiological sources&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3281,"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\/2217"}],"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=2217"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3747,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2217\/revisions\/3747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}