# Insect Life **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2001, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-life/84263 "2001-09-28T04:23:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msquestion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@msquestion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msquestion)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-life/84263/1 "2001-09-28T04:23:57Z")
How do insects breath? I don’t think they have hearts as we do. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-life/84263/2 "2001-09-28T04:33:56Z")
[Here](http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/tutorial/respire.html) is a nice site which should answer your question. From the site: > [@](#): > > Air enters the insect’s body through valve-like openings in the exoskeleton. These openings (called spiracles ) are located laterally along the thorax and abdomen of most insects – usually one pair of spiracles per body segment. Air flow is regulated by small muscles that operate one or two flap-like valves within each spiracle – contracting to close the spiracle, or relaxing to open it. ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-life/84263/3 "2001-09-28T05:28:00Z")
I wonder if this is what makes it possible to kill some bugs (like ants) by spraying them with soapy water…? ---
**Author:** ![Firx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Firx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firx)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-life/84263/4 "2001-09-28T07:11:38Z")
Yes, it does. In fact, I’ve seen it recommended several places as an alternative to poison (the book “tiny Game Hunting”, for one). But why would you want to kill ants? They are clearly the Overlords of the Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Trenchmouth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Trenchmouth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trenchmouth)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-life/84263/5 "2001-09-28T08:09:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Firx \* > \*\*Yes, it does. In fact, I’ve seen it recommended several places as an alternative to poison (the book “tiny Game Hunting”, for one). But why would you want to kill ants? They are clearly the Overlords of the Earth. \*\* Screw THEM! It’s PHASE IV, baby!