{"id":2410,"date":"2022-03-17T18:41:05","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T10:41:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2410"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:13:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:13:08","slug":"do-ants-make-noise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-make-noise\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Ants Make Noise?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>While we can rarely hear them, ants do in fact make noise. They use their bodies to produce make chirp-like and other sounds to communicate. They use these sounds to relay different signals including alarm and mating.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Do ants make vocal noises?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do ants make noise?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why do ants make noise?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can we hear the noises that ants make?<\/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\/03\/do-ants-make-noise-b-1-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"do ants make noise\" class=\"wp-image-3357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-make-noise-b-1-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-make-noise-b-1-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-make-noise-b-1-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-make-noise-b-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Ants-sandy-ground_(Unsplash).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">kazuend kazuend<\/a>, CC0, 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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#Do_Ants_Make_Vocal_Noises\" title=\"Do Ants Make Vocal Noises?\">Do Ants Make Vocal Noises?<\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#How_Do_Ants_Make_Noise\" title=\"How Do Ants Make Noise?\">How Do Ants Make Noise?<\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#Drumming\" title=\"Drumming\">Drumming<\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#Stridulation\" title=\"Stridulation\">Stridulation<\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#Why_Do_Ants_Make_Noise\" title=\"Why Do Ants Make Noise?\">Why Do Ants Make Noise?<\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#Can_We_Hear_the_Noises_Ants_Make\" title=\"Can We Hear the Noises Ants Make?\">Can We Hear the Noises Ants Make?<\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#Can_Ants_Hear\" title=\"Can Ants Hear?\">Can Ants Hear?<\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#How_Do_Ants_Communicate\" title=\"How Do Ants Communicate?\">How Do Ants Communicate?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/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\/do-ants-make-noise\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Make_Vocal_Noises\"><\/span>Do Ants Make Vocal Noises?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No, ants don\u2019t make vocal noises. <strong>Ants don\u2019t have vocal cords and can\u2019t speak like us humans.<\/strong> Instead, they make use of their bodies to produce sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Make_Noise\"><\/span>How Do Ants Make Noise?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, ants make noise by using their bodies. They do so in 2 ways: <strong>drumming and stridulation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Drumming\"><\/span>Drumming<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Drumming is a relatively simple form of sound production. Ants do it by <strong>repeatedly knocking their bodies on a substrate<\/strong> such as a wall or the ground. This produces a noise that mimics the sound produced by wasps to scare off predators<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stridulation\"><\/span>Stridulation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stimulation is considered to be a sophisticated sound-producing behavior. It produces the chirp-like sound that ants make.\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/stridulation\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/stridulation\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\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=\"Ant Artists : Ant&#039;s Voice\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pYdwdu3J5CA?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><strong>Ants produce this sound by rubbing parts of their body together.<\/strong> More specifically, they rub two sections of their gaster. They use one section as a scraper to rub against a row of bumps or file in another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Make_Noise\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Make Noise?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ants make noise to communicate<\/strong>. While deaf to air-borne sounds, ants can detect and interpret sound through vibrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, ants use drumming to produce an alarm signal. This allows them to notify their colony mates of danger or a disturbance to the nest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, ants use stridulation in 3 different ways. These ways are as follows:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Alarm Signal:<\/strong> Like with drumming, ants may use stridulation to send out alarm signals. For example, some ant species stridulate when they get buried or trapped to call for help.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mating Signal:<\/strong> Stridulation has been observed during the mating of young Pogonomyrmex queens. These queens stridulate when they&#8217;re done mating. This notifies drones to stop pursuing them and allows them to escape the swarm and head to safety.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Complement to Pheromones:<\/strong> Some ants stridulate to complement communication via pheromones.&nbsp; Along with chemicals, these ants use sound as a signal to initiate nest-moving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_We_Hear_the_Noises_Ants_Make\"><\/span>Can We Hear the Noises Ants Make?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The sounds that ants make, specifically through stridulation are <strong>barely audible<\/strong>. That said, <strong>they are in the audible range of humans<\/strong>. If we get close enough, we too can perceive these chirps.<\/p>\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=\"Drummer Ants\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/j7ZXHdAvhiA?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><strong>Drumming, on the other hand, can be loud.<\/strong> Especially when it&#8217;s done by many ants at once. In the video above, you can easily hear ants drumming. It sounds like a wave or a crowd clapping.<\/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\/01\/can-ants-hear-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"can ants hear\" class=\"wp-image-2292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-hear-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-hear-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-hear-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/can-ants-hear.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/fjcorado-1727916\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4387092\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Francisco Corado<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4387092\" 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=\"Can_Ants_Hear\"><\/span>Can Ants Hear?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants can hear. But they don\u2019t hear in the same way that we humans do. Unlike us, ants are deaf to air-borne sound. They can, however, <strong>perceive sound through substrate borne-vibrations<\/strong>. This means that they hear by detecting vibrations transmitted through solid objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-hear\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2286\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how ants hear<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Communicate\"><\/span>How Do Ants Communicate?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ants mostly communicate through chemical signals called pheromones<\/strong>. They use these pheromones to forage, identify colony mates, and even identify the dead. Aside from that, they can also communicate through sound, body language, and touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-do-ants-communicate\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2419\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how ants communicate<\/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 do make noise. They\u2019re not as quiet as they seem. They make high-pitched chirps and other sounds by stridulation or drumming. They use these sounds to send signals to their nestmates and to scare off predators.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While we can rarely hear them, ants do in fact make noise. They use their bodies to produce make chirp-like and other sounds to communicate. They use these sounds to relay different signals including alarm and mating. In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about the following: Do Ants Make Vocal Noises? No, ants don\u2019t make&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3357,"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\/2410"}],"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=2410"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3731,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2410\/revisions\/3731"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}