DO ANTS EVER GET LOST?

 

Ants have evolved sophisticated navigational abilities that allow them to find their way back to the nest, even when walking backward while dragging food. Here are the key reasons why ants rarely get lost:

1. Path integration

 Ants can keep track of the twists and turns they take and the number of steps they've walked to compute the fastest route back home[5]. This allows them to navigate efficiently, even in unfamiliar territory.

2. Visual memory

 As ants walk, they take in information about their surroundings and remember certain landmarks that can guide them on their return journey[5]. They have nearly 360° vision, allowing them to gather visual cues from beside and behind them as they walk away from the nest[5].

 

 3. Sun compass

 Ants use the angle of the Sun to get their bearings and orient themselves[5]. This celestial navigation system helps them maintain a sense of direction even in the absence of familiar landmarks.

 

 

4. Pheromone trails

 Many ant species lay down chemical trails that other ants can follow to find their way back to the nest[1]. These trails serve as a communication channel, allowing ants to share information about food sources and guide each other.

 

 

5. Specialized navigation

 Some ant species, such as desert ants, have evolved specialized navigational abilities. For example, they can count their steps and use the Sun's position to determine their location[3].

 

6. Cooperative search

 If an ant does get lost, it may be discovered by a nest-mate who can lead it back to the colony[3]. Ants work together to find a suitable nest site and relocate their sisters to it[3].

 

While ants rarely get completely lost, they may engage in a more extensive search if they return to a location they believe to be their nest but find it absent[3]. However, they can often find their way back to the vicinity of the nest without much chemical assistance[3].

Citations
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/e4x3ya/do_ants_that_get_lostaccidentally_get_on_my/
[2] https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/questions/do-ants-get-lost
[3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/07/22/ants-have-some-truly-incredible-built-in-gps/
[4] https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/lonely-ant
[5] https://www.science.org/content/article/how-ants-walking-backward-find-their-way-home