Humans and Ants: A Comparative Study On Temperature
The relationship between humans and ants has been studied from time immemorial. Humans have long noticed the presence of ants in their homes, sometimes getting rid of them, sometimes studying their behavior. One interesting facet of their behavior is their reaction to temperatures. Do ants hate cold rooms? This question belongs to the age-old debate of whether or not ants and humans have similar, or divergent, temperature preferences.
The cold room temperature of the average home is typically around twelve to fifteen degrees Celsius for the interior and between zero and five degrees Celsius for the exterior. For ants, the ideal weather conditions are much different. The optimal internal temperature for an ant colony is between twenty-six and twenty-eight degrees Celsius. The heat produced by ant colonies is created by their incubation of larvae and allows them to maintain a healthy colony. Cold temperatures make this process more difficult, and so, they strongly prefer warmer climates.
Across countless studies, it’s been demonstrated that ants exhibit aversions to colder temperatures. An experiment in France showed that the ant colonies in areas with temperatures of less than four degrees Celsius had nearly two-thirds of the population of those colonies in warmer climates. When the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius, the ants have been found to have a low chance of survival in the long term.
This understanding of ants’ preferences has caused many people to further question their potential use as a form of pest control. A common tactic is using poisoned bait to reduce populations, but in cold temperatures, this is much less effective. Certain specialized poisons can still be used, but they will not eliminate the entire colony. An additional drawback is that this method could cause the ants to disperse, thus making further eradication more difficult.
Furthermore, ants were also found to become less active when in colder temperatures. In a study at the University of California- Riverside, workers recorded the movements of ants and concluded that temperatures had an influence on the speed and direction of their traveling. When the temperature was colder than fifteen degrees Celsius, the workers observed that the ants would slow down and change direction frequently.
To elaborate on this further, the same study proposed an explanation for these observations in the antibodies within the ant’s legs. Ants, after all, have an immunity system just like humans. As the temperature decreases, their antibodies, which are responsible for detecting and responding to external stimuli, begin to fail. This only further explains why ants are so averse to cold temperatures.
Length of coldroom temperatures’ impacts on nests and colonies
Apart from merely judging their aversion to cold temperature, it is important to analyse the length of time the temperature is still in cold conditions. The longer the cold temperatures persist, the more detrimental it can be to the ant colony. This can be broken down into two main components – the impacts on the ant’s nests and impacts on the entire ant colony.
Firstly, the most observable impact on the nests would be its weakening structure. The coldroom temperatures decrease the material’s tensile strength, hence, the harder it is for the ants to make the nest last longer. Smaller enclosures, such as a single tree hole, would experience a much stronger impact due to the confined nature of their nesting sites.
In terms of the whole ant colony, their food supply would be the most affected as the air becomes cooler and drier. Ants feed on proteins, sugars, and carved animals which require a particular temperature for them to survive. As a result, the growth of the colony is slowed down as the number of food sources available diminish.
To supplement this, from an observational standpoint, the behavior of the colony changes as they enter the coldroom temperatures. The weaker signal of the pheremones coming from their queen causes the ants to be less willing to gather food and more likely to search for a new nest. This phenomenon can be seen in ants found in the northern hemisphere, where the coldroom temperatures are harsher for extended periods of time.
Public perception of ants in coldroom temperatures
When it comes to the public perception of ants in coldroom temperatures, many people would assume that the ants would simply die off due to their inability to survive. This assumption, however, is not entirely true as it fails to take into consideration different species of ants found in various climates.
For example, ants found in the tropical region have been known to survive colder temperatures than what would be normal in their environment. This is due to the increase in acclimatization of the ant species over time to wider ranges of temperatures, which has been accelerated due to their vast network of creatures across the world. Furthermore, hybrid species of ants continue to adapt to varying temperatures. In 2016, a species of ant hybrid, known as Linepithema humile, was discovered in the United Kingdom, despite its original habitat being in Argentina.
Hence, from a public standpoint, it is important to consider the traits of each particular species before concluding the fate of a particular type of ant.
The concept of migration
At times, the ants have even been known to migrate from their colonies in response to colder temperatures. As the winter settles in, some ants will depart from their colonies and disperse across the surface to other places. During the process of migration, the ants will move in a consistent pattern, and often migrate to warmer places within the same regions.
For example, ants have been known to travel upwards when exposed to cold temperatures, seeking out a higher, warmer ground. This behaviour is mainly seen in outdoor ants, as it is much harder to control the environmental settings compared to those of indoor ants. Depending on the season of the year and the surrounding environment, the ants can travel great distances in search of some warmth.
Alternatively, ants are also seen to migrate downwards to avoid the cold. Some species of ants settle and construct their nests underground when exposed to the cold, and often make use of the soil’s warmth, in order to keep the colony fleece and alive. This technique is mainly seen in tropical species ants, as the colder temperatures may become unbearable for them to withstand.
The evolution of ants in colder climates
In response to their aversion to coldroom temperatures, the ants have adapted their evolution in order to better survive against it. Like several other species of animals and insects, some ants have grown thicker, fur-like hairs on the outside of their bodies. This offers them the traditional benefits of fur, such as maintaining a higher body temperature despite the lack of control over the environment.
Apart from merely keeping the ant alive, these hairs also enable the ant to traverse over icy environments without slipping. Therefore, this adaptation better equips them to survive in the cold, even if the temperature itself is still not optimal for the ants to persist in.
Another adaptation to the coldroom temperatures is the production of an antifreeze compound known as “trehalose” in the ant’s bloodstream. Trehalose helps keep the ant’s internal temperature stable, and prevents the formation of ice crystals in their body. As such, the trehalose prevents the ants from freezing even in temperatures as low as -40°C.
Impact of cold temperatures on ant communities
The impact of coldroom temperatures on ant communities is perhaps best studied by looking at the seasonality of ant populations. During the coldest parts of the winter, ant populations decrease drastically, as they seek shelter and food in places with more optimal temperatures. The populations instead become more concentrated towards the spring, as the ant reemerge and the temperatures become more suitable for them to survive in.
Apart from the hibernation of ant communities, their societal structure also undergoes various changes due to coldroom temperatures. For instance, they tend to rely more on the presence of significantly larger individuals, known as “majors”, within the colony as the coldroom temperatures set in. This is in part due to the decreased mobility of the smaller ants, as well as their inability to reproduce as efficiently when temperatures drop.
Additionally, colonies are also known to be increasingly prone to the adverse effects of parasites under extremely cold conditions. This is due to their weakened immune system, which makes them more vulnerable to pest infestation.
Analysis of coldroom temperature’s implications to our relationship with the ants
Based on the information gathered throughout this article, it is clear that ants are incredibly averse to cold temperatures. This has various implications to both the society of ants and our relationship with them as humans.
On one hand, the changes seen in the freezing conditions are necessary in order for the ants to survive. The adaptation of their behavior and the evolution of their physical bodies were driven by the coldroom temperatures, and are necessary in order for them to successfully migrate to find optimal temperatures and food sources.
On the other hand, it is important to recognize the threat they still present to us if they are suddenly exposed to coldroom temperatures. For example, the decrease in their numbers or their shifted behavior could potentially cause a greater presence of ants in areas of food or commodities. In this sense, understanding the implications of coldroom temperatures on ants allows us to better manage our interaction with them.
In conclusion
To conclude, it is clear that there is an innate aversion for coldroom temperatures in ants. This can seen through their decreased activity and weak structures of their nests, to the decrease in population size and their tendency to migrate when exposed to harsh temperatures. Moreover, their adaptation in order to survive in the cold is an excellent example of how living organisms respond to environmental changes. Despite their averse nature to colder temperatures, they still present a potential threat to us when they are exposed to it, as it disrupts their normal behavior. In this sense, understanding the effects of coldroom temperatures on ants enables us to further better our relationship and interactions with these creatures.
