{"id":2346,"date":"2022-01-31T15:20:44","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T07:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2346"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:13:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:13:08","slug":"can-ants-swim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Ants Swim?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Yes, ants can swim. Some ants are strong enough to swim and navigate through water. However, ants aren&#8217;t generally adapted enough to be effective swimmers. In fact, most ants will struggle to move in water due to their hair-thin legs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about the swimming ability of ants as we discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>How ants swim<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If all ants can swim<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which ants can swim<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What happens to ants in water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How ants survive in water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If there are underwater 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\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-b-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"can ants swim\" class=\"wp-image-3315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-b-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-b-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-b-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-swim-b.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<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-swim\/#How_Do_Ants_Swim\" title=\"How Do Ants Swim?\">How Do Ants Swim?<\/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-swim\/#Can_All_Ants_Swim\" title=\"Can All Ants Swim?\">Can All Ants Swim?<\/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\/can-ants-swim\/#Which_Ants_Can_Swim\" title=\"Which Ants Can Swim?\">Which Ants Can Swim?<\/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\/can-ants-swim\/#Diving_Ants\" title=\"Diving Ants\">Diving Ants<\/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-swim\/#Carpenter_Ants\" title=\"Carpenter Ants\">Carpenter Ants<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#Odontomachus_bauri\" title=\"Odontomachus bauri&nbsp;\">Odontomachus bauri&nbsp;<\/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\/can-ants-swim\/#Gigantiops_destructor\" title=\"Gigantiops destructor\">Gigantiops destructor<\/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\/can-ants-swim\/#What_Happens_To_Ants_In_Water_Do_They_Drown\" title=\"What Happens To Ants In Water? Do They Drown?\">What Happens To Ants In Water? Do They Drown?<\/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\/can-ants-swim\/#How_Do_Other_Ants_Survive_in_Water\" title=\"How Do Other Ants Survive in Water?\">How Do Other Ants Survive in Water?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#Ant_Raft\" title=\"Ant Raft\">Ant Raft<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#Walking_On_Water\" title=\"Walking On Water\">Walking On Water<\/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\/can-ants-swim\/#Are_There_Underwater_Ants\" title=\"Are There Underwater Ants?\">Are There Underwater Ants?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#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-14\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#Can_Ants_Swim_In_Soapy_Water\" title=\"Can Ants Swim In Soapy Water?\">Can Ants Swim In Soapy Water?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#How_Do_Ants_Float_On_Water\" title=\"How Do Ants Float On Water?\">How Do Ants Float On Water?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#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-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#Can_Ants_Drown\" title=\"Can Ants Drown?\">Can Ants Drown?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-swim\/#Summary_Can_Ants_Swim\" title=\"Summary: Can Ants Swim?\">Summary: Can Ants Swim?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Swim\"><\/span>How Do Ants Swim?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants swim by paddling with their limbs. <strong>They use their forelegs to propel themselves and their hind legs as rudders to steer.<\/strong> Their middle pair of legs perform both functions. Simply put, the forelegs drive most of the movement while the rest control direction.&nbsp;[<a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/aesa\/article\/111\/6\/319\/5054178\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/aesa\/article\/111\/6\/319\/5054178\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_All_Ants_Swim\"><\/span>Can All Ants Swim?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No, not all ants can swim. In fact, <strong>many ants will struggle to achieve any kind of locomotion in water<\/strong>. Their bodies simply aren&#8217;t built for it. They have hair-thin legs that are generally too weak for swimming.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As such, only a few ants can swim. These ants are usually larger ones with longer and stronger forelegs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Ants_Can_Swim\"><\/span>Which Ants Can Swim?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants that can swim include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Diving_Ants\"><\/span>Diving Ants<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Camponotus schmitzi\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yYcWPmD5JEs?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<p>Diving ants refer to the ant species <em>Camponotus schmitzi<\/em>. They&#8217;re carpenter ants native to Borneo and are otherwise known as pitcher-plant ants. They get their name from their habit of <strong>diving into the digestive fluids of pitcher plants<\/strong>. There they swim to the bottom to steal prey trapped by the plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Diving ants are a remarkable exception among ants. They can freely dive in and out of fluids as if they were sprinting on solid ground. This is unlike other ants that can&#8217;t even break through the surface of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Carpenter_Ants\"><\/span>Carpenter Ants<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from diving ants, other carpenter ant species are also strong swimmers. They may not be the fastest, but they\u2019re relatively better swimmers than most. This is because they\u2019re typically <strong>larger and stronger than other ants<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/what-are-carpenter-ants\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2647\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">carpenter ants<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Odontomachus_bauri\"><\/span>Odontomachus bauri&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ants have swimming skills | Science News\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/41fALZbG5Wk?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<p><em>Odontomachus bauri <\/em>is a species of trap-jaw ant found in the tropical regions of America. They&#8217;re dark-brown leaf-litter ants known to forage individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These ants are classified as <strong>strong swimmers relative to other tropical canopy ants<\/strong>. They&#8217;re among the fastest and can swim at an average speed of 10 cm per second. [<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.biologists.com\/jeb\/article\/217\/12\/2163\/12092\/Water-surface-locomotion-in-tropical-canopy-ants\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/journals.biologists.com\/jeb\/article\/217\/12\/2163\/12092\/Water-surface-locomotion-in-tropical-canopy-ants\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gigantiops_destructor\"><\/span>Gigantiops destructor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Gigantiops destructor<\/em> is the sole member of the Gigantiops genus. They\u2019re found in South America and are known for their large eyes and jumping ability.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like <em>Odontomachus baur<\/em>i, <em>Gigantiops destructor<\/em> ants are strong swimmers among tropical canopy ants. In fact, they&#8217;re even faster than the latter, capable of <strong>swimming just about 11 cm per second<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_To_Ants_In_Water_Do_They_Drown\"><\/span>What Happens To Ants In Water? Do They Drown?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The water is not a place an ant wants to be in. Generally speaking, if an ant falls into water<strong>, <\/strong>they are as good as dead. Again, most ants can&#8217;t swim and therefore, can&#8217;t escape water. Eventually, they <strong>drown or end up as prey to aquatic predators<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only saving grace for ants is that they can stay afloat and keep their spiracles dry. As long as their spiracles don&#8217;t get clogged, they can keep breathing and survive. They just then have hope for a miracle that they somehow make it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Other_Ants_Survive_in_Water\"><\/span>How Do Other Ants Survive in Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all non-swimmers are helpless against water. Some ants have <strong>developed adaptations<\/strong> that allow them to survive the water despite their lack of swimming ability. These adaptations include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ant_Raft\"><\/span>Ant Raft<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\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=\"Fire Ants Make Living Raft | World&#039;s Weirdest\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/L2ZysgGAABw?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<p>Fire ants have an ingenious strategy to survive in water. They <strong>create rafts with their bodies<\/strong>. These rafts are floating structures that rarely sink. They allow fire ants to stay afloat until either the water subsides or they find a way to escape. [<a href=\"https:\/\/daily.jstor.org\/how-fire-ants-form-rafts\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/daily.jstor.org\/how-fire-ants-form-rafts\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During floods, fire ants link their bodies together using their legs and mandibles. With their bodies locked, they create a platform that supports the weight of the whole colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These rafts also attract and hold a layer of air called the plastron layer. This plastron layer enhances buoyancy and allows the ants at the bottom of the raft to breathe. Basically, every ant gets to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Walking_On_Water\"><\/span>Walking On Water<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Amazingly, <strong>some ants can walk on water<\/strong>. The ant species<em> F. subsericea<\/em> for example, exhibits dual swimming behavior. Some of their workers swim, while others can support their bodies above the surface and walk.&nbsp;[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.antwiki.org\/wiki\/Formica_subsericea\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.antwiki.org\/wiki\/Formica_subsericea\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_There_Underwater_Ants\"><\/span>Are There Underwater Ants?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no underwater or aquatic ants. <strong>No ant is specialized to permanently live underwater.<\/strong> There is, however, the ant species <em>Polyrhachis sokolova<\/em>. These ants nest in mangrove mud where they spend a good amount of time submerged in water. To survive, they build and hide in air pockets while waiting for the water to subside. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2006-03-12\/scientists-discover-swimming-ants\/816182\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2006-03-12\/scientists-discover-swimming-ants\/816182\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">5<\/a>]<\/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\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-die-in-water-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"do ants die in water\" class=\"wp-image-2426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-die-in-water-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-die-in-water-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-die-in-water-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-die-in-water.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Clump_of_Ants.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Steven Paultanis<\/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<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Ants_Swim_In_Soapy_Water\"><\/span>Can Ants Swim In Soapy Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No, ants can\u2019t swim in soapy water. Soap is a surfactant that reduces surface tension. It makes it <strong>harder for ants to float and they\u2019ll have a higher tendency to drown<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Float_On_Water\"><\/span>How Do Ants Float On Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants can float on water due to their <strong>hydrophobic exoskeletons<\/strong>. This traps a plastron layer around their bodies which decreases their densities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 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><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants can\u2019t breathe underwater.&nbsp; Water <strong>clogs their spiracles and prevents the entry of oxygen<\/strong> into their bodies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When submerged underwater, ants have to close their spiracles and hold their breath.&nbsp; They will need to live off the oxygen already in their bodies until they can escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Ants_Drown\"><\/span>Can Ants Drown?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants can drown. Despite being quite the survivors, ants can&#8217;t sustain being submerged underwater. They will need to make it out of the water to reopen their respiratory system. Otherwise, they will eventually <strong>run out of oxygen<\/strong> and drown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary_Can_Ants_Swim\"><\/span>Summary: Can Ants Swim?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To summarize, some ants can swim. Large ants with strong forelegs are perfectly capable of swimming. Most ants, however, will struggle to produce any type of movement with water. They simply aren\u2019t adapted well enough to be efficient and effective swimmers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, ants can swim. Some ants are strong enough to swim and navigate through water. However, ants aren&#8217;t generally adapted enough to be effective swimmers. In fact, most ants will struggle to move in water due to their hair-thin legs. In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about the swimming ability of ants as we discuss&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3315,"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\/2346"}],"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=2346"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3739,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346\/revisions\/3739"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}