Ants are covered with a layer of long-chain fatty acids called hydrocarbons which they use to tell nest mates from none-nest mates. Not only does each colony of ants have a colony specific odour, but in many species, workers will have a different odour depeding on their role within the colony. A forager might have a distinct odour from a nursery worker for instance, and this helps determine how the ants interact with one another.
Tags: Morphology & Physiology | Behaviour
About Us
AntBlog is a budding community of ant enthusiasts. We study ants and track ants in the news.... more
Featured
Latest updates
Do ants bleed? Ant circulatory system
Ant blood is a colourless liquid. It is circulated through the body by the contraction...
Formicarium
A formicarium is a purposefuly designed enclosure used to contain and study ants. The...
Eusociality
The term eusocial was introduced in 1966 by Entomologist Suzanne Batra and subsequentl...
About us
We're a community of ant enthusiasts who've been online since August 2008. Richard is ...
Keeping ants in captivity
Keeping and studying ants can be a rewarding experience. Wether you're interested in b...