Ants’ Food Examination

Abstract

Sugar, salt and alum grains between 15 and 55 mg were deposited at different sites in the foraging ground of the ants Anoplolepis gracilipes and Paratrechina longicornis to study the examination processes the ants applied prior to carry these grains to the nest or refused at the site. It is revealed that, of the supplied 10 grains of these three substances A. gracilipes and P. longicornis examined only one sugar grain in most cases and two grains in few cases prior to carry a grain to the nest. Under similar situation an ant irrespective of species examined in most cases only one salt grain though few individuals examined 2 or 3 or 4 grains prior to have a decision either to carry one to the nest or to move elsewhere refusing the same at the site. Interestingly, an ant individual only in few cases examined only one alum grain but in most cases it examined 2, 3, 4 even up to all the 10 supplied alum grains scrupulously prior to refuse the same. Of the offered grain the ants procured 100 % sugar grains and 60 % salt grains from the sites to the nest while 100 % alum grains were refused at the sites following careful examination. As sugar, salt and alum grains look almost alike examination of all the alum grains was performed by the ants with a hope to get sugar grains, if any, from amongst these visually similar kinds of grains. This may be due to lack of food examination system at a precision level.