4 replies to this topic

[AntPerson76]

I was falling asleep last night and suddenly wondered, how far can an ant fall without dying?

I've seen camponotus pennsylvanicus workers fall off my 12 foot high porch and be fine, but I wanted to know how much higher an ant could fall from and still be okay. Does anyone have an idea or have seen how far camponotus ants can fall without getting injured?

[Serafine]

Most (if not all) ants can fall infinitely deep without getting injured.

Their low weight makes the air like thin honey for them, they don't really fall, they sink through the air and never reach a terminal velocity that is high enough to serious damage them when they impact onto the ground.

Edited by Serafine, June 12 2023 - 8:16 AM.

[Manitobant]

Yeah the only major exceptions are repletes and physogastric queens, both of which can splatter if dropped.

[Myrmidons]

The ants terminal velocity is very small, so it doesn't matter about the height given normal conditions.

[antperson24]

Yeah the only major exceptions are repletes and physogastric queens, both of which can splatter if dropped.

Ouch... splatter...