How Do Ants Know When Other Ants Are Missing?
WouterDuring a search, ants use their antennae to pick up scents from the ground. They may not be able to determine where they have gone, but they can pick up the trail pheromone, an invisible chemical that ants use to guide themselves to food and other resources.
Ants also use other sensory modalities. For instance, they have a built-in count system to help them track distance.
The same system also allows them to learn when they need to dig. Ants can also use traps to lure sisters. Some species will even help sisters in distress.
Ants are also excellent at homing in on a target. Some species will even carry a wounded comrade back to the nest. It’s not uncommon to find multiple queens in an ant colony.
Another curious behavior is the tandem run. This involves a leader ant and follower ant performing a series of small maneuvers to guide the other ant to their target. The leader ant moves forward until it touches the back end of the follower. They then proceed to make a circle until they tire out.
A recent study of the sugar ant revealed a surprisingly large number of behaviors. Some of them are more impressive than others. For instance, they are the first ant species to use path integration to locate their nest. The ant is also the first to demonstrate the ability to spot a small prey from a long distance.
The ant may also be able to locate other ants using visual cues. Some species have been shown to navigate using a pheromone that can be used to entice other ants to follow its trail.
