ants and hearing

[CiderMonkey]

do ants have ears? Can they hear? If I was to shout really loudly, right up close to it, would it damage it's ears?

[Clanad]

Equating ants ability to percieve sound with the hearing of humans is not realistic. However, it's thought that ants do percieve sound in two ways; feeling vibrations through their contact with the ground and, at least in the very close distances, they appear to be able to recieve sounds through small hair like structures on their antennae...

[ludwig]

Try sneaking up behind one and popping a crisp bag. See if it jumps.

[Litchick]

Ludwig -- that was very funny!!!  Thanks for the laugh!  :)

[pixi]

cidermonkey I don't know the answer to your question but I am laughing my head off imagining someone sneaking up on an ant and shouting at them.  Saying that if someone did it where I live it wouldn't be considered wierd as everyone round here is crazy.  Thinking about it I think ants must have pretty good hearing cos I've never seen one wearing an hearing aid.