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- Title
Insect communication: ‘No entry’ signal in ant foraging.
- Authors
Robinson, Elva J. H.; Jackson, Duncan E.; Holcombe, Mike; Ratnieks, Francis L. W.
- Abstract
Forager ants lay attractive trail pheromones to guide nestmates to food, but the effectiveness of foraging networks might be improved if pheromones could also be used to repel foragers from unrewarding routes. 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.
- Subjects
RESEARCH; ANTS; PHEROMONES; MONOMORIUM; ANT communities
- Publication
Nature, 2005, Vol 438, Issue 7067, p442
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/438442a