Ants are eusociable insects, this means that they live in organized colonies where each member performs a specific function. In addition, together with the bees, they have gained a reputation for being industrious and tireless, all in order to keep the anthill in optimal conditions.
Now, thinking about this industry, Do ants sleep? Or are they among the animals that don't sleep? Discover this and other curiosities about these insects in the following article on our site. Keep reading!
Characteristics of ants
Ants belong to the Formicidae family and live in large colonies made up of a queen ant, thousands of worker ants and some winged males. Currently, they are distributed throughout the world, except the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
There are innumerable species with variable characteristics. In general, they all have sectional bodies, which include a prominent thorax and antennae on the head. They can be herbivores, carnivores and scavengers.
Have you ever wondered if ants have hearts? They do not have a heart like the one described in other species. Instead, have a dorsal aorta, a kind of artery that extends into the body and is responsible for transporting hemolymph. Hemolymph is the circulatory fluid of insects. Now, do ants have brains? The same thing happens with the organ of the heart. Like other invertebrates, ants have ganglia attached to nerve endings, which are responsible for carrying orders throughout the body.
Obviously, these insects have eyes, but do ants see? They are able to perceive movements around them, although they have a hard time distinguishing shapes and objects, since their vision capacity is poor. To solve this situation, the head antennas are responsible for perceiving air currents, detecting textures, among other functions.
Taking all this into account, do ants sleep? Let's go there!
Ants sleep?
Whether in the gardens or in a home anthill, chances are you've never seen an ant sleeping. Observing them, it seems that they work non-stop and this is not far from reality. Ants sleep, only in a very different way from the one known to the being human.
In any anthill, the queen ant is the most important, since the task of producing more worker ants depends on her, in addition to directing the activities of the colony. Thanks to this privileged position, the queen ant sleeps up to 9 hours straight every day. This activity is only carried out inside the anthill, from where it never leaves after having mated.
The workers, for their part, have an incredible routine: they are able to perform up to 250 naps every day, even if only for one minute each. They take these naps without leaving their work, they simply remain inactive for that minute, and then return to the work they were doing. These 250 naps are equivalent to about 4 hours of rest a day
And flies sleep?
Many people wonder if all insects sleep the same, which leads them to doubt whether ants or flies sleep. Flies also appear to be animals that do not sleep. However, they have a deep sleep, during which they are abstracted from what is happening around them. Most species also prefer to do so at night, although some also take naps during the day.
How do ants sleep?
While the queen ant enjoys long hours of sleep, the workers only take interrupted naps that, in human eyes, offer them very little rest. Now, how do ants sleep? What happens in their bodies?
It is possible to include the 4 hours of sleep of the ants in two blocks, since only during one of them these insects have a deep sleep. During this phase, it is observed that the movements of the jaws and antennae are reduced by almost 65%, although they may shake apparently involuntarily. In addition, during this "deep sleep" they can be tripped over or bumped by their fellow workers, while some are displaced so that another ant occupies a more comfortable space. None of these treatments provokes irritability or violence in the sleepers, who continue with their sleep or wake up to go back to their work in the colony.
With this in mind, do ants sleep at night? Spending most of their time underground, it is very unlikely that they will recognize the notions of day or night. In this sense, can sleep at any time.
How long does an ant live?
The life expectancy of ants varies according to the species. However, this is influenced by their routine and, therefore, also by the time they spend sleeping.
In this sense, a queen ant can live between 15 and 30 years, while the workers only live 3 years. Fertilizing males, meanwhile, survive a few weeks.
