# Could ants, working together, lift and carry a person? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892 "2006-03-10T23:05:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/1 "2006-03-10T23:05:12Z")
Alright, here’s my question. Could any known species of ant lift and carry a person? We will assume that the person is 150 lbs (I have no idea how to calculate available surface area of an average person). I’ve heard many times that ants can lift a between ten and fifty times their body weight. To answer this question, we will need to know how much various types of ants weigh, how much each ant can lift, and how many of each type of ant could theoretically lift a person at the same time. If there are any other numbers that should be considered for my armchair calculations, please let me know. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/2 "2006-03-10T23:39:36Z")
I doubt it. Ants are so small, and the surface of a human just isn’t very flat. Not that many could actually be in contact with something to lift on a man’s body. A better question might be, could ants carry\* a slab, flat on one side, about 6 ft long and 18 inches wide that weighs about the same as a man. Figure an ant needs an area about 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch to work in. # of ants along the length of slab in one colum = 144 # of ants along the width of the slab in one row = 72 total # of ants = 10,368 weight that each ant has to lift = 150/10,368 = .0145 lbs assuming the ant has to weigh 1/50th of that, then the ant must weigh .000289 lbs assuming the ant has to weigh 1/10th of that, then ant must weigh .00145 lbs I have no idea how much an ant weighs. I’ll leave that as an exercise for the OP. \*if the slab was truly flat, not even one ant could get under it to lift it. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/3 "2006-03-11T00:36:01Z")
I know who’s been watching _Family Guy_! 😃 > [@](#): > > Chris: Hey, dad, look! I covered my back with honey and now the ants are taking me home. > Peter: He does the same thing at home with Velveeta and cockroaches. If you turn the light on really fast they slam him right into the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![sealerdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@sealerdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sealerdave)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/4 "2006-03-11T00:49:47Z")
Who the heck cares ? is this somone with too much time on his hands? ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/5 "2006-03-11T00:57:21Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I have no idea how much an ant weighs. I’ll leave that as an exercise for the OP. The paper at [http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0008359/king\_j.pdf](http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0008359/king_j.pdf) (summarized on page 74) found outliers as big as 8 mg dry weight, but most weighed 1 mg or less. The numbers you give are in the range 130 - 670 mg. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/6 "2006-03-11T00:57:49Z")
> [@sealerdave](#): > > Who the heck cares ? is this somone with too much time on his hands? SDMB says in harmony “You called!” ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/7 "2006-03-11T01:02:19Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > The paper at [http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0008359/king\_j.pdf](http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0008359/king_j.pdf) (summarized on page 74) found outliers as big as 8 mg dry weight, As opposed to what…weighing them after they have been swimming? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/8 "2006-03-11T01:15:31Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > As opposed to what…weighing them after they have been swimming? I think they just mean dead and dried out. Ants get crispy pretty fast after they die so there is additional water weight when they are alive. I is harder to get them to stay still on the scale then however. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/9 "2006-03-11T01:22:34Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > assuming the ant has to weigh 1/50th of that, then the ant must weigh .000289 lbs. That’s 131 mg. Carpenter ants mass [25-50 mgs](http://www.google.com/search?hs=omC&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=Camponotus+vicinus+mg&btnG=Search) each, so they’d have to lift closer to 100 times their weight in order to carry a human. There are larger ant species, so the feat _might_ be possible. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/10 "2006-03-11T02:52:59Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Figure an ant needs an area about 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch to work in. Offhand, I’d say this estimate is high. Maybe more like 1/2 by 1/8? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/11 "2006-03-11T02:58:28Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > That’s 131 mg. Carpenter ants mass [25-50 mgs](http://www.google.com/search?hs=omC&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=Camponotus+vicinus+mg&btnG=Search) each, so they’d have to lift closer to 100 times their weight in order to carry a human. There are larger ant species, so the feat _might_ be possible. [These are among the largest ant species in the world](http://www.myrmecos.net/ants/dinoponera.html) - Click on the 3rd pic to get an idea of the size relative to that paper clip! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/12 "2006-03-11T03:20:34Z")
As a side note the larger the ant gets I would imagine the strength multiple (ie 50X stronger than a human etc) decreases substantially simply due to biomechanical constraints. ---
**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/13 "2006-03-11T03:28:42Z")
Does it have to be in one piece? ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/14 "2006-03-11T03:42:57Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > \*if the slab was truly flat, not even one ant could get under it to lift it. I see no reason why the slab couldn’t be suspended above the ants, until a signal were given. Then, well, most likely, splat. Even if it was lowered slowly until it was touching each ant first. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/15 "2006-03-11T04:03:40Z")
> [@sealerdave](#): > > Who the heck cares ? is this somone with too much time on his hands? 57,941 Straight Dope Message Board members the heck care. That’s why we’re here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/16 "2006-03-11T04:12:41Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > 57,941 Straight Dope Message Board members the heck care. That’s why we’re here. 😃 Now if 57,941 SDMB members got underneath a slab of concrete, and each could lift an amount approximately equivalent to their body weight… ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/17 "2006-03-11T07:11:41Z")
Y’all don’t understand ants. Maybe the ants where you’re from ain’t like the ants I knew as a kid. Use fire ants. Assume each ant can carry 50x of its weight. Assume lots of ants. Assume you’re lying down. a) Each ant bites the everlovin shit out of you to soften you up, and then removes 50X of its weight and walks off with it. b) Repeat as necessary until all of your mass, appropriately partitioned, has been made off with in the mandibles of fire ants. c) Does **OpalCat** like ants? ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/18 "2006-03-11T07:35:05Z")
So, this would be like a self propelled ant treadmil? Next question is, if they are flying ants, can they take off? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/19 "2006-03-11T12:04:56Z")
> [@Burrido](#): > > Does it have to be in one piece? This is an excellent point. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892/20 "2006-03-11T14:06:08Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > I see no reason why the slab couldn’t be suspended above the ants, until a signal were given. Then, well, most likely, splat. Even if it was lowered slowly until it was touching each ant first. Yeah, that’s what I was thinking would have to happen. * * * BTW, if you use bigger ants, there will be fewer of them since they take up more space. Assuming, of coure, that the body is whole. And, if we want to use a real body, instead of the slab I postulated, we’d have to come up with a fudge fact for reducing the number of ants due to the curvature of the body. I suspect that a mulitplier of .25 would be generous, and that .10 would be more realistic (but that’s just a WAG). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-ants-working-together-lift-and-carry-a-person/347892.md?page=2)