What is the function of encounter patterns in ant colonies?

摘要: Abstract Abstract. This study explores how patterns of brief antennal contacts may function in the organization ant colonies. In course contact, an can determine whether another is a nestmate. The first part work was comparative, and showed that three species (Solenopsis invicta, Myrmica rubra, Lasius fuliginosus) differ frequency, location context contact. next examined ants might use rate with nestmates as cue to nestmate density. Density varied experimentally, variation contact measured. If encounters between were result purely random collisions, principles Brownian motion suggest numbers would increase quadratically ants. results show undisturbed conditions, not random. Instead (L. fuliginosus), regulated rate. Ants aggregated more when density low, which keeps up, avoided nearby high, low. One responds another, thus decide engage at distance 1 · 2 cm. Next, exposed workers from colony. these disturbed rates increased. magnitude depended on proportions, non-nestmates present, suggesting be