Experts Say Ant Colonies Know, Use Geometry

[matcom]

<snip>

ANTS use angled signposts, using tiny scent markers, to find their way home or follow the path into the wilderness, according to a study published today.

University of Sheffield scientists looked at the foraging trails laid by Pharoah's ants (Monomorium pharaonis).

Scout ants would set the trail from the nest using pheromone scents as indicators for those coming behind them.

Wherever the trail forked to let the ants explore potential sources of food, one of the angles between the forks was always around 60 degrees, the researchers found in the study published in Nature.

This means that an ant which has gone off the trail can find its way by detecting this narrow angle.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11706212%255E13762,00.html

[pnorman]

1. Those damn ants are FASCINATING!

I bought an ANTWORKS habitat a month ago, and ordered 25 Harvester Ants by mail. They were so fascinating, that I ordered another 25 to keep them company. I then got ANOTHER habitat, and 50 more of those critters should be in the mail today. Here's what they look like: http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/toys/6fd6/zoom/

The gelatin medium, designed by NASA, provides them with food and water. Nothing else is needed, except to open the lid every so often, to admit fresh air. Whenever I do so, they all explode into a frenzy of activity. Putting them in the refrig for 10~20 minutes, slows them down and puts them to sleep. One thing about them is that they're totally indifferent to humans. At one time, I was considering getting s macro lens for my APS camera, but shelved the idea. I might reconsider it again.

pnorman