The Strenght Of An Ant Experiment

[CCCP]

Driving back from my friends I noticed an Ant on the windscreen, and as I am a lover of all creatures I thought I would let it be rather than splat it with the wipers. It was a large Ant about 10mm long, the type that give a nasy bite. Anyway I was driving at 80kph and noticed the Ant was hanging on with no problems and that gave me the idea for the experiment I did as named in my title. I gradually increased speed to see how long the little bugger could hang on for, I reached 90kph and still the Ant was there, it spread its legs a little to get extra grip but still no problems. I reached 100 with the same results, however at this point the Ant's body bent over its head but it was still there, my GF was convinced it was dead. I reached a maximum speed of 120kph before I bottled it as the road surfice was starting to very bad, however the Ant was still hanging on. At this point i was also starting to think it was dead, however when we reached the traffic lights it did a 360 degree turn and stayed put. We drove for about another 10 mins at a steady speed until we reached another set of lights, at these lights the Ant walked off over the screen and I never saw it again.

Has anyone conducted similar Ant strength test?

[glyph]

Concentrating on an ant on your windshield, rather than the road ahead, is pretty foolish...and you don't need to be a member of Mensa to know that.

[PeaceBlondie]

I ain't no member of that Mental society, but that was one mighty strong ant. I have noticed other bugs have a great tendency to hang onto windshields, but 120 kph is fantastic.

[alantheembalmer]

Last weekend, as I was travelling on a train, there was a fly on the outside of the glass window, and it kept its grip even when the train was doing about 70 mph. It only flew off when we slowed down for the next station. It did seem to adopt a position that aided its adherence to the glass, but a more scientific explanation from anyone would be appreciated.

[lardy]

Depending on the fly type they have special feet that can grip almost anything, that or its entrails had come out dried and stuck it onto the glass hahhaha. Its well known how strong and ant is compared to its size I'm sure it was in the Guiness book of records sort of the equivalent of a man lifting 20 times his own weight??

[toybits]

Or this dude has washed his windshield for some time...

I ain't no member of that Mental society, but that was one mighty strong ant. I have noticed other bugs have a great tendency to hang onto windshields, but 120 kph is fantastic.

[goldfish]

I suspect the ant was doing it's own experiment to see how fast he could get the idiot farang to drive without looking at the road. Should even be able to mark down a couple of accidents on a good day

[micksterbs]

The ant works for the BiB. He gets a percentage of any tea-money earned.

[micksterbs]

Actually, I remember carrying-out a similar experiment years ago when driving a Land Rover. It was Summer and I was driving with the ventilator at the base of the windscreen open for a bit of relief. There was a fly hanging on quite well and I increased the speed to see when "breakaway" would occur. The little blighter hung-on really well and the Land Rover was nearing terminal velocity. Then it dawned on me that by having the ventilator open, the fly was being subjected to the airstream in a "compressive" way rather than in a "shear" fashion as the air that would have travelled along the bonnet and then swept up the windscreen, was entering the interior instead. So I closed the flap and WHOOSH off he went. Kept me amused for a few miles.

[crazyeddie]

I think that was a great experiment or observation. Yes, perhaps it was somewhat hazardous if you were watching the ant more than the road, but then I would bet you were still being a safer driver than about 90% of the lunatic Thai drivers on the road. Ants are really strong critters, I love to watch them carry huge loads up walls, working in teams if needed. I must wonder how the ant was able to grip on to such a slick surface as the glass on your vehicle? Wonder if a smaller or larger ant would be able to grip better at speed? What about other bugs? Wow, this could be a whole new field of scientific investigation!

[mgjackson69]

Concentrating on an ant on your windshield, rather than the road ahead, is pretty foolish...and you don't need to be a member of Mensa to know that.

OH NO...I am running with scissors!

[Heng]

That's it, I'm having the oompa-loompas get to work on building me a wind tunnel to conduct similar experiments.

[dingdongrb]

I am an engineer by trade and in my junior year of college a colleague and I conducted an experiment with flies. We took a fly, placed it on a table and told the fly to fly.... It did.. We then took another fly, placed it on the same table but this time we removed one of it's wings, and then told the fly to fly. It kind of just jumped around. So we then took a third fly, pulled off both wings and then told the fly to fly. The fly just crawled around. So the conclusion to our experiment was that when you remove the wings of a fly it becomes deaf!

[Scott]

Wow, I had a friend that did something like that. The ant was OK, but the motorcyclist in front of him didn't fare so well.

[stumonster]

pulled off both wings

I think at this stage it is called a walk - thanks , I will be here all week

[Dustoff]

~

And in yet another study:

Not to worry, at maximum speed his body bent over his head but he was still there.

(In case you haven't noticed, I also care about all living creatures..)

Edited August 3, 2008 by Dustoff

[lannarebirth]

That's good science. I hope you stick with your studies and a major research foundation gives you a grant.

I don't know much about ants, but at the age of 11, in lieu of a frank discussion about the "birds and the bees" my dad took me down to the local science shop where we purchased a nice bagful of drosophila melanogaster. For the next 2 months I conducted breeding experiments designed to learn about genetic traits and blah, blah blah. My findings are these: fruit flies like rotten bananas and ether is highly flammable.

Edited August 3, 2008 by lannarebirth

[vegas]

Didn't that koala hang onto the car grille after being hit in Australia?

[AmeriThai]

I must wonder how the ant was able to grip on to such a slick surface as the glass on your vehicle? Wonder if a smaller or larger ant would be able to grip better at speed? What about other bugs? Wow, this could be a whole new field of scientific investigation!

The surface of glass isn't as slick as it may seem. They have plenty of tiny dings and flaws that an ant can cling to. I've seen spiders hang on like that as well. Jing-joks can walk up walls, windows, and across ceilings because the surface of their toe pads work in a way similar to velcro and enable them to cling to those tiny flaws on surfaces.

Do I qualify for a grant yet?

[Farma]

It did seem to adopt a position that aided its adherence to the glass, but a more scientific explanation from anyone would be appreciated.

Boundary layer?

[jackspratt]

Last weekend, as I was travelling on a train, there was a fly on the outside of the glass window, and it kept its grip even when the train was doing about 70 mph. It only flew off when we slowed down for the next station. It did seem to adopt a position that aided its adherence to the glass, but a more scientific explanation from anyone would be appreciated.

I don't think any science is required to explain this. Obviously the fly had a ticket for that station, and de-trained accordingly.

[lardy]

I must wonder how the ant was able to grip on to such a slick surface as the glass on your vehicle? Wonder if a smaller or larger ant would be able to grip better at speed? What about other bugs? Wow, this could be a whole new field of scientific investigation!

The surface of glass isn't as slick as it may seem. They have plenty of tiny dings and flaws that an ant can cling to. I've seen spiders hang on like that as well. Jing-joks can walk up walls, windows, and across ceilings because the surface of their toe pads work in a way similar to velcro and enable them to cling to those tiny flaws on surfaces.

Do I qualify for a grant yet?

Glass is a liquid a bit like thick toffee maybe they just dig their heels in

[Naam]

I suspect the ant was doing it's own experiment to see how fast he could get the idiot farang to drive without looking at the road.

[kennkate]

Exactly. Boundry Layer Explane to the masses. Please FARMA

I dont want to go there.

[Carib]

Here is your answer, just look at these claws, that`s how they do it !!

[faranglandoz]

Driving back from my friends I noticed an Ant on the windscreen, and as I am a lover of all creatures I thought I would let it be rather than splat it with the wipers. It was a large Ant about 10mm long, the type that give a nasy bite. Anyway I was driving at 80kph and noticed the Ant was hanging on with no problems and that gave me the idea for the experiment I did as named in my title. I gradually increased speed to see how long the little bugger could hang on for, I reached 90kph and still the Ant was there, it spread its legs a little to get extra grip but still no problems. I reached 100 with the same results, however at this point the Ant's body bent over its head but it was still there, my GF was convinced it was dead. I reached a maximum speed of 120kph before I bottled it as the road surfice was starting to very bad, however the Ant was still hanging on. At this point i was also starting to think it was dead, however when we reached the traffic lights it did a 360 degree turn and stayed put. We drove for about another 10 mins at a steady speed until we reached another set of lights, at these lights the Ant walked off over the screen and I never saw it again.

Has anyone conducted similar Ant strength test?

Been interesting to see if the ant could hang on if you ploughed into the car in front

[CCCP]

Exactly. Boundry Layer Explane to the masses. Please FARMA

I dont want to go there.

For you information sunshine. Despite the fact that I was driving, and paying full attention to the little critter, my GF was co-driving and navigating. She even helped to shift gear.

[Farma]

Exactly. Boundry Layer Explane to the masses. Please FARMA

I dont want to go there.

Aww mensa types shouldn't be looking at this thread

[Naam]

Despite the fact that I was driving, and paying full attention to the little critter, my GF was co-driving and navigating. She even helped to shift gear.

goodness gracious man! why are you trying hard to ridicule yourself?

[Moonrakers]

Slightly off topic but still relating to the toughness of ants:

Why do ants NOT get fried when in a turned on micro-wave? Impressive little creatures ain't they.