A group of floating fire ants

This video shows a close up of the fire-ant/water interface. Note how the bottom layer of ants remains ON the water's surface and water is prevented from penetrating the raft.

Visit www.antlab.gatech.edu for more information and be sure to check out my other uploaded videos

• Category

  Science & Technology

[FractalInfinities]

Neat footage!

I wonder... have you noticed if the ants "on top" of the raft ever exchange positions with those who have contact with the water? Do they jobshare?!

[antlabGT]

They do exchange positions occasionally but only at the edges of the raft where an ant could be freed up.

[FractalInfinities]

Interesting! So is there a rotation from the underside towards the outside edges and up "onto" the raft?

Thanks for these vids and your research!

[antlabGT]

Your welcome! No such rotation. Only an exchange at the edges so that the ratio between top and bottom ants remains pretty much constant.

[JamieA242]

omg theyre walking on water,

Maybe Jesus was an ant!!

[moron32]

What happens if you just drop them in randomly scattering them across the top of the water...do they find one another and join up to make the raft then?

[Fish Nighy]

Hi there, we are doing an assignment on fire ants and this is an awesome video for that! May I use you video as a part of my assignment? Of course we will add this link on our reference list. We would be grateful for that! Thank you so much!

[KGlpsmaker216]

how long can they stay like that?

[Nour Hamdy]

WATER ADHESION AND COHESION PROPERTY

[Jem93rocks]

IT'S AN ARK! (without other animals/insects)

[StanleyKingChan]

I assume that they aren't dense at all so it's no surprise to me

[GailTheBrat7]

They built a little raft until they find land

[jman1948]

I am surprised that the surface tension of the water can hold a fire ant. This is really cool.

[Alvin Perez]

Biology: Surface Tension. Just learned this like a week ago, sophomore.

[thcatluvr]

Where does one get so many ants?

[karim ash]

sir if you leave them for a day. are they doing to drown????

-

-

-