{"id":2295,"date":"2022-01-24T09:26:37","date_gmt":"2022-01-24T01:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2295"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:13:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:13:08","slug":"how-do-ants-breathe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-do-ants-breathe\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Ants Breathe?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Ants breathe through a tracheal system. They take in oxygen through holes in their bodies called spiracles. These spiracles connect to tubes called trachea which transport gases throughout their bodies.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article we\u2019ll learn more about how ants breathe as we discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Do ants have lungs?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do ants breathe?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why do ants breathe?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can ants run out of breath?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can ants breathe underground or underwater?<\/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\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-b-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"how do ants breathe\" class=\"wp-image-3312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-b-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-b-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-b-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-b.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/overo-8771598\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3361688\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Overo<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3361688\" 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\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#Do_Ants_Have_Lungs\" title=\"Do Ants Have Lungs?\">Do Ants Have Lungs?<\/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\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#How_Do_Ants_Breathe\" title=\"How Do Ants Breathe?\">How Do Ants Breathe?<\/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\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#Why_Do_Ants_Breathe\" title=\"Why Do Ants Breathe?\">Why Do Ants Breathe?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#Can_Ants_Run_Out_of_Breath_or_Suffocate\" title=\"Can Ants Run Out of Breath or Suffocate?\">Can Ants Run Out of Breath or Suffocate?<\/a><\/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\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#How_Do_Ants_Breathe_Underground\" title=\"How Do Ants Breathe Underground?\">How Do Ants Breathe Underground?<\/a><\/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\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#Can_Ants_Breathe_Underwater\" title=\"Can Ants Breathe Underwater?\">Can Ants Breathe Underwater?<\/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\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#How_Long_Can_Ants_Hold_Their_Breath\" title=\"How Long Can Ants Hold Their Breath?\">How Long Can Ants Hold Their Breath?<\/a><\/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\/how-do-ants-breathe\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Have_Lungs\"><\/span>Do Ants Have Lungs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No, <strong>ants do not have lungs<\/strong>. Nor do they have a circulatory system that facilitates gas transport in their bodies. They are simply too small to accommodate a respiratory system similar to ours.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That doesn&#8217;t mean, however, that they don&#8217;t have one at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Breathe\"><\/span>How Do Ants Breathe?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants respire by means of a <strong>tracheal system<\/strong>. This system consists of a complex network of tubes that deliver oxygen to the cells of their bodies.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-3-1024x791.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-3-1024x791.png 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-3-300x232.png 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-3-768x593.png 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-3.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Gerontoformica_contegus_Plos_One_e93627_Fig_1_D.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Barden &amp; Grimaldi<\/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>In this system, ants breathe through spiracles or tiny holes in their exoskeletons. These holes allow for the passive diffusion of gas in and out of their system. It is through these holes that they take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. [<a href=\"https:\/\/genent.cals.ncsu.edu\/bug-bytes\/respiratory-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/genent.cals.ncsu.edu\/bug-bytes\/respiratory-system\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of these spiracles is connected directly to tiny tubes called tracheae. These tracheae branch and extend throughout the ant&#8217;s body. At the end of these tubes are special cells called tracheoles. This is where oxygen is dissolved and eventually diffused into adjacent cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, carbon dioxide, the waste product of cellular respiration, undergoes the same process. It diffuses out of the cell, passes through the trachea, and exits the body through the spiracles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>All in all, the tracheal system allows ants to bypass the need for blood and gas transport. It&#8217;s an energy-efficient respiratory system.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Breathe\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Breathe?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants breathe to <strong>take in oxygen<\/strong>, an important component of cellular respiration. Without oxygen, they can&#8217;t convert fats and sugars into energy.\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biologyonline.com\/dictionary\/cellular-respiration\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.biologyonline.com\/dictionary\/cellular-respiration\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/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\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/how-do-ants-breathe.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/nil-foto-21669504\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6356845\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">J\u00f3zsef Szab\u00f3<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6356845\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>They use this energy for activities such as foraging, nest-building, and reproduction. They also need this energy for cellular processes including growth and repair. Simply put, ants won\u2019t survive without oxygen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Ants_Run_Out_of_Breath_or_Suffocate\"><\/span>Can Ants Run Out of Breath or Suffocate?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s unlikely for ants to suffocate under normal conditions. As long as there\u2019s oxygen in the air then they can generally respire with no issues.\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/boundless-ap\/chapter\/gas-exchange\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/boundless-ap\/chapter\/gas-exchange\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, issues can arise when their <strong>spiracles become obstructed<\/strong>. Chemical exposure and physical obstruction can block their spiracles and prevent airflow. This can lead to oxygen deprivation or suffocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Breathe_Underground\"><\/span>How Do Ants Breathe Underground?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants breathe underground the same way that they do everywhere else. The lower oxygen levels underground generally don\u2019t bother ants as they breathe through <strong>passive diffusion<\/strong>. They also don&#8217;t need as much oxygen anyway due to their small size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, ants still try to maximize oxygen supply. They have evolved behaviors that promote ventilation in their underground nests. For example, they dig small holes or tunnels that allow air to flow freely in and out of the nest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Ants_Breathe_Underwater\"><\/span>Can Ants Breathe Underwater?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants can\u2019t breathe underwater. When submerged, the<strong> water blocks their spiracles <\/strong>and prevents air from coming in. If an ant falls into water, it will struggle to breathe and eventually drown.<\/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\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"can ants swim\" class=\"wp-image-2348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Camponotus_schmitzi.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Scharmann et al.<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CC BY 2.5<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For ants to survive underwater, they have to close their spiracles and hold their breath. They then have to escape the water by swimming or relying on luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See this article to learn if <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2346\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ants can swim<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Can_Ants_Hold_Their_Breath\"><\/span>How Long Can Ants Hold Their Breath?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants can hold their breath and survive without oxygen for <strong>hours or sometimes days<\/strong>. If they store enough oxygen beforehand, they can live for a while without breathing.\u00a0<\/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 breathe through a tracheal system. This system consists of a network of tubes that directly distribute oxygen to the cells. It bypasses the need for a circulatory system and relies on the passive diffusion of gas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ants breathe through a tracheal system. They take in oxygen through holes in their bodies called spiracles. These spiracles connect to tubes called trachea which transport gases throughout their bodies. In this article we\u2019ll learn more about how ants breathe as we discuss the following: Do Ants Have Lungs? No, ants do not have lungs&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3312,"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\/2295"}],"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=2295"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3740,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2295\/revisions\/3740"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}