Flexible weighing of olfactory and vector information in the desert ant Cataglyphis fortis.

摘要: Desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, are equipped with remarkable skills that enable them to navigate efficiently. When travelling between the nest and a previously visited feeding site, they perform path integration (PI), but pinpoint or feeder by following odour plumes. Homing ants respond plumes only when integrator indicates near home. This is crucial, as homing often pass through emanating from foreign nests do not discriminate plume of their own nest, should absolutely avoid entering wrong nest. Their behaviour towards food odours differs greatly. Here, we show in on way food, olfactory information outweighs PI information. Although guides back learned feeder, independently whether close site. ability beneficial, new sources— unlike nests—never pose threat shorten distances travelled while foraging. While it has been shown navigating C. fortis rely strongly PI, report here retained necessary flexibility use PI.