Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

A Rapid Method to Confine and Safely Handle Bees in the Field
03:44

A Rapid Method to Confine and Safely Handle Bees in the Field

Published on: August 23, 2024

Marking individual ants for behavioral sampling in a laboratory colony.

C Tate Holbrook1

  • 1School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. ctholbrook@asu.edu

Cold Spring Harbor Protocols
|February 12, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Ants serve as excellent models for studying complex biological systems due to their organized societies. This protocol details methods for observing individual ant behavior to understand colony dynamics and emergent properties.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Animal personality aligns task specialization and task proficiency in a spider society.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2014
Same author

Allometric scaling of metabolism, growth, and activity in whole colonies of the seed-harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus.

The American naturalist·2010
Same author

Social insects inspire human design.

Biology letters·2010
Same author

Ants (Formicidae): models for social complexity.

Cold Spring Harbor protocols·2010

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Social Insect Studies

Background:

  • Ant societies are highly organized and adaptable, making them valuable models for complex biological systems research.
  • Understanding social complexity requires analyzing individual behavior within the colony context, including self-organization and emergent properties.
  • Previous research has explored genotype, nutrition, and physiology effects on ant behavior and colony organization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a general protocol for sampling and observing individual ant behavior within laboratory colonies.
  • To enable integrative analysis of social complexity, division of labor, and collective decision-making.
  • To facilitate experimental manipulation of colony demography and study regulatory mechanisms.

Main Methods:

More Related Videos

A Visual Guide for Studying Behavioral Defenses to Pathogen Attacks in Leaf-Cutting Ants
08:10

A Visual Guide for Studying Behavioral Defenses to Pathogen Attacks in Leaf-Cutting Ants

Published on: October 12, 2018

Obtaining Specimens with Slowed, Accelerated and Reversed Aging in the Honey Bee Model
10:58

Obtaining Specimens with Slowed, Accelerated and Reversed Aging in the Honey Bee Model

Published on: August 29, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

A Rapid Method to Confine and Safely Handle Bees in the Field
03:44

A Rapid Method to Confine and Safely Handle Bees in the Field

Published on: August 23, 2024

A Visual Guide for Studying Behavioral Defenses to Pathogen Attacks in Leaf-Cutting Ants
08:10

A Visual Guide for Studying Behavioral Defenses to Pathogen Attacks in Leaf-Cutting Ants

Published on: October 12, 2018

Obtaining Specimens with Slowed, Accelerated and Reversed Aging in the Honey Bee Model
10:58

Obtaining Specimens with Slowed, Accelerated and Reversed Aging in the Honey Bee Model

Published on: August 29, 2013

  • Describes a general methodology for identifying and observing individual ants in laboratory settings.
  • Quantifies individual and colony-level behavior patterns through direct observation.
  • Allows for modifications based on species-specific traits and research objectives.

Main Results:

  • Establishes a framework for studying self-organizational processes in ant colonies.
  • Enables investigation of how individual behaviors contribute to emergent colony-level attributes.
  • Provides a basis for correlative and manipulative studies on behavior and organization.

Conclusions:

  • This protocol offers a flexible approach to studying ant behavior and social organization.
  • The methods can be adapted for various ant species and research questions.
  • The techniques can be extended to advanced experimental designs, including demographic manipulations and hormone treatments.