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Insect communication: "No entry" signal in ant foraging

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 00:25 authored by Elva J H Robinson, Duncan E Jackson, Mike Holcombe, Francis Ratnieks
Forager ants lay attractive trail pheromones to guide nestmates to food1, 2, but the effectiveness of foraging networks might be improved if pheromones could also be used to repel foragers from unrewarding routes3, 4. Here we present empirical evidence for such a negative trail pheromone, deployed by Pharaoh's ants (Monomorium pharaonis) as a 'no entry' signal to mark an unrewarding foraging path. This finding constitutes another example of the sophisticated control mechanisms used in self-organized ant colonies

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

Volume

438

Page range

442

Pages

1.0

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Notes

Discovery of first repellent/negative trail pheromone in ants. The pheromone acts as a "no entry" signal, and is placed on non-rewarding branches at trail bifurcations.

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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