Ants find their way by scent, sight or both.
Donisthorpe observed that if an obstacle was placed on a Lasius fuliginosa trail, the ants will hesitate for a time, all those arriving at the obstructed spot clustering together, until one or more crosses it. The file of ants will then resume its march. Should the same experiment be tried with Formica rufa, the obstacle is at once crossed, the procession of ants being in no way interfered with.
He also pointed out that if the eyes of a Lasius sp. were covered with varnish, it finds its way as before, but if a Formica sp. was treated in this manner, it is no longer able to do so. This goes towards proving that smell is the predominant sense in the case of Lasius and sight plays a strong role with Formica.
Donisthorpe also observed workers of Polyergus rufescens hunting for colonies of Formica fusca will locate various nests, but it may be days or weeks before the slave-makers will raid any particular one of them. He belived no track was left and memory helped them to go direct to this nest.
Tags: Formica | Lasius | Frequently Asked Question | Horace Donisthorpe | Slavemaker
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