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Why are ants' running in pairs more effective than searching alone? Learn this fascinating survival wisdom!
Among colonies of ants and termites, double running is a coordinated movement, particularly when one ant guides another to a food source or a new nest site. This behavior is seen by scientists as part of social learning, demonstrating the survival intelligence of these small creatures. The study found that when ants are looking for food, 35% of them will act in pairs, which not only speeds up the acquisition of food, but also helps to improve the efficiency of the entire ant colony.
During the two-person running process, the following ant will constantly touch the leader's legs and abdomen with its antennae to maintain contact.
The significance of running together
Double running is not only a strategy for finding food, but also a form of social learning. In this way, young followers can quickly learn how to find food or a better nesting site. Leaders must often slow down while running so that followers can absorb recognizable information on the path.
Not only does this behavior help the newbie ants learn survival skills, it also saves time because they can reach the food source faster!
The process of double running
In a tandem run, how the leader moves is crucial. The study showed that when ants run in pairs, vision is important for the leader's navigation, but not for the followers. As the tandem run progresses, the leader often uses touch and pheromones to communicate and keep both parties connected.
Costs and benefits of running in pairs
Although tandem running quadrupled the time it took the leader to reach the food source, the follower found the target faster. During this process, following the ants may face the risk of getting "lost", but this is also an important process for them to explore new paths. Independent exploration enables followers to reduce subsequent tandem runs, improving overall efficiency.
Independent exploration gives ants the opportunity to discover new food sources while also improving their future leadership abilities.
Social Learning and Teaching
Tandem running is not only a way to find food, but also a form of teaching. The age of the ant is not a significant factor in participating in a double run, but experience is. Experienced ants are more likely to become leaders, further helping novices learn. In addition, ants can effectively shorten the time of two-person running by exploring independently.
Double running among termites
Among termites, double running also demonstrates different functions. Especially during reproduction, termites' double runs demonstrate differences in sex roles. In this process, females usually act as leaders, releasing sex pheromones to guide males' actions.
Double-running behavior occurs in a variety of forms among termites, and even same-sex double-running behavior occurs between different species.
The dynamic communication and role exchange between these organisms not only improves the efficiency of finding resources, but also enhances the survival ability of the entire group. In such an ingenious system, double running serves as an effective strategy for obtaining food while also promoting social interaction.
Can you also get inspiration from the ants' double running behavior and think about the meaning of human cooperation?
