{"id":3523,"date":"2023-07-16T11:28:07","date_gmt":"2023-07-16T03:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=3523"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:10:28","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:10:28","slug":"do-ants-drink-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-drink-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Ants Drink Water? Do They Need Water?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Yes, ants do drink water. Just like with other organisms, water is essential for their survival. They need water to stay hydrated and maintain proper function. They get their water from their food and other sources like puddles, dew, and rainwater.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about ants drinking water as we discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>How ants drink water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much water ants can drink<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why ants need water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How ants obtain water<\/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\/2023\/07\/do-ants-drink-water-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"do ants drink water\" class=\"wp-image-3527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/do-ants-drink-water-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/do-ants-drink-water-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/do-ants-drink-water-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/do-ants-drink-water.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Myrmica_sp_workers_drinking_sugared_water.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Andreas Weggel<\/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<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-drink-water\/#How_Do_Ants_Drink_Water\" title=\"How Do Ants Drink Water?\">How Do Ants Drink Water?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-drink-water\/#How_Do_Queen_Ants_Drink_Water\" title=\"How Do Queen Ants Drink Water?\">How Do Queen Ants Drink Water?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/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\/do-ants-drink-water\/#How_Much_Water_Can_Ants_Drink\" title=\"How Much Water Can Ants Drink?\">How Much Water Can Ants Drink?<\/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\/do-ants-drink-water\/#Why_Do_Ants_Need_Water\" title=\"Why Do Ants Need Water?\">Why Do Ants Need Water?<\/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\/do-ants-drink-water\/#How_Do_Ants_Obtain_Water\" title=\"How Do Ants Obtain Water?\">How Do Ants Obtain Water?<\/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-drink-water\/#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-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-drink-water\/#Do_Ants_Like_Sugar_Water\" title=\"Do Ants Like Sugar Water?\">Do Ants Like Sugar Water?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-drink-water\/#How_Long_Do_Ants_Live_Without_Water\" title=\"How Long Do Ants Live Without Water?\">How Long Do Ants Live Without Water?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/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\/do-ants-drink-water\/#Summary_Do_Ants_Drink_Water\" title=\"Summary: Do Ants Drink Water?\">Summary: Do Ants Drink Water?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Drink_Water\"><\/span>How Do Ants Drink Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As with many other animals, <strong>ants drink water by using their mouths<\/strong>. Ant mounts contain a labium or the ant equivalent to our tongues.\u00a0<\/p>\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 Drinking Water.wmv\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/a4eMu9Uly9E?start=62&#038;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>The labium consists of several parts including the hypopharynx and the glossa. The hypopharynx holds liquid while the glossa transports or displaces it. These parts allow ants to either lick or suck water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When ants encounter a water source, they extend their labium and touch it to the water&#8217;s surface. From there, they can lick and use their glossa to transport water into the hypopharynx. Or, they can suck and use pressure to draw water in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Either way, they then retract their labium and bring the water back to their nests or consume it directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Queen_Ants_Drink_Water\"><\/span>How Do Queen Ants Drink Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Queen ants drink water through trophallaxis. They rely on worker ants to give them water through mouth-to-mouth transfer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same process occurs for other adult ants that stay in the nest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Much_Water_Can_Ants_Drink\"><\/span>How Much Water Can Ants Drink?<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\/are-ants-eusocial-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"are ants eusocial\" class=\"wp-image-2256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/are-ants-eusocial-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/are-ants-eusocial-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/are-ants-eusocial-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/are-ants-eusocial.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/gamagapix-14212960\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4637999\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">gamagapix<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4637999\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The amount of water ants can drink <strong>depend on their size<\/strong>. Bigger workers can drink more than smaller ones. In general, ants only consume <strong>small quantities of water at a time<\/strong>. Their bodies are too small and therefore have limited capacity for water storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On an individual basis, ants consume droplets of water no longer than the size of their bodies. This amount of water ranges around <strong>6-8 microliters<\/strong>. [<a href=\"https:\/\/askentomologists.com\/2016\/09\/29\/how-much-water-can-ants-drink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Need_Water\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Need Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Water is a fundamental resource for all living organisms, and ants are no exception. Like other animals, <strong>ants require water to survive and maintain their bodily functions<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Water plays a crucial role in various aspects of an ant&#8217;s life. They allow ants to grow, function, and survive. Water plays a role in the following important processes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Digestion<\/strong>: Water aids in digestion as a solvent. Due to its chemical composition, it helps break down essential compounds like glucose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Respiration:<\/strong> Water plays an important role in allowing respiration to occur. As a solvent, water helps cells transport oxygen, a key part of aerobic respiration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Molting:<\/strong> Water is key to molting. It serves as a mechanism to expand the exoskeleton before hardening.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Obtain_Water\"><\/span>How Do Ants Obtain Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ants usually get the water they need from the food that they consume.<\/strong> Fluids like sap, nectar, and honeydew all provide ants with enough moisture. Hence, ants don\u2019t usually forage for water. See this article to learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/what-do-ants-eat\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3091\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what ants eat<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, they will actively <strong>look for water sources during times of scarcity<\/strong>. During these times you&#8217;ll find them around water sources including the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Natural bodies of water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Puddles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dew<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Household water sources (leaks and spills)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\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\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Like_Sugar_Water\"><\/span>Do Ants Like Sugar Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants like sugar water. Both sugar and water are valuable for ants. Sugar is a valuable energy source for ants and water, again, helps them survive. Therefore, ants will actively seek out and collect sugar water when available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Do_Ants_Live_Without_Water\"><\/span>How Long Do Ants Live Without Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Without water, ants can only live around 5 to 10 days before drying out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary_Do_Ants_Drink_Water\"><\/span>Summary: Do Ants Drink Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To summarize, yes ants drink water. Ants need water to survive. It prevents them from drying out and allows their bodies to function. Hence, they make it a point to collect water for themselves and the colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants drink water by using their mouthparts. These mouthparts have specialized parts that allow them to lick and suck water. They drink water from different sources including puddles, dew, and household sources.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, ants do drink water. Just like with other organisms, water is essential for their survival. They need water to stay hydrated and maintain proper function. They get their water from their food and other sources like puddles, dew, and rainwater. In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about ants drinking water as we discuss the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3527,"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\/3523"}],"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=3523"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3687,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3523\/revisions\/3687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}