Abstract
The aim of this study was to define the limit of ant cognition, and we examined whether Myrmica rubra ants could use tools or learn to use them. We presented the ants with 1) a piece of mealworm inserted into a small tube tied to a thread that had to be pulled for easy access to the mealworm; 2) a plug that closed the entrance of the ant sugar water tube provided with two push-pieces that had to be pushed to remove the plug from the entrance; and 3) a plug, closing the nest entrance, provided with a thread that had to be pulled to remove the plug. The ants could not use these “proto-tools”. After exposure to proto-tools having been used, some ants interacted with them, shortly, not efficiently. During the first experiment, the ants received the larva progressively inserted further into the tube, and interacted with the proto-tool more than during the two other experiments. Therefore, Myrmica rubra ants might be able to use some proto-tools following long-lasting habituation, imitation or conditioning processes, which would not be a strictly use of tools. Thus, ant cognition in this species extended up to but did not include the use of proto-tools, and at fortiori of sensu stricto tools.
Highlights
Tool use is a trait of high interest for ethologists
With the aim to provide new information on the cognitive abilities of ants, we examined whether ants of a given species, M. rubra, could use or could learn to use proto-tools provided in three specific experimental circumstances
The threads and the push-pieces provided to the ants to obtain their meat or to remove a plug were typical ‘proto-tools’ that had to be used, for the first time, individually and correctly
Summary
Tool use is a trait of high interest for ethologists. Because humans can use tools and can learn to use them, many researchers examine animals for these abilities, generally in vertebrates and recently in invertebrates (Pearce, 2008). Behaviors approaching the strict use of tools (see the above definition) have been recently described, and has been attempted to be obtained in social hymenopterans (references below). Social bumblebees rarely pull a string to obtain sugar water, but these bees can learn this behavior when trained to perform the task during a relatively long period by operant conditioning in a stepwise manner. Allomerus decemarticulatus capture large prey by collectively building a type of trap (Dejean, Solano, Ayroles, Corbara, & Orivel, 2005). All these complex behaviors resembling some tool use are collectively exhibited and progressively acquired by the species. The observations of Morille on Pogonomyrmex badius (Morril, 1972), ijb.ccsenet.org
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