How Do Ants Detect Their Food?
WouterUsing the sense of smell is an advanced skill that ants have. They use this to locate food, communicate with their mates, and to signal when something is wrong.
When looking for food, ants follow a trail of chemical scents (pheromones) left behind by other ants. These pheromones are powerful enough to attract hundreds, if not thousands, of ants to a particular food source.
They can even smell chemicals in sugar. The ants have antennae with sensillas which pick up pheromone molecules and send them to the ant’s nervous system. The pheromone molecules are then reacted by a protein called an isoenzyme. The proteins are then used to send impulse signals to the ant’s brain.
They are also capable of detecting food at great distances. The ants are capable of foraging for food at night. They are also capable of carrying objects that weigh up to 5,000 times more than they do.
In addition to their antennae, they also have mandibles and external teeth. They have a distinctive abdomen that is visible from the front and the back. The ant’s pheromone trail is visible to other ants, and they are also capable of detecting chemicals along the ground.
Their foraging strategy is also based on the number of bumps along the way. When ants cross a chow line, they lay down more pheromone on the trail to strengthen it.
They have an odor-detecting capability that is four to five times more powerful than humans. They can also detect chemicals in low concentrations. They have special cells called odor-binding proteins that enter the nervous system through a small pore on the sensilla.
