Visual navigation during colony emigration by the ant Temnothorax curvispinosus [corrected]

Area of Science:

• Animal behavior
• Neuroethology
• Sensory ecology

Background:

• Ants navigate using a combination of visual and chemical cues.
• The relative importance of these sensory modalities varies among ant species and contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the roles of visual and chemical cues in navigation during colony emigration in Temnothorax curvispinosus ants.
• To determine whether ants prioritize visual or substrate-bound chemical cues for orientation.

Main Methods:

• Colonies of Temnothorax curvispinosus were induced to emigrate within an arena.
• Arena floor rotation displaced substrate-bound odor cues while visual cues remained.
• Visual cues were manipulated by blocking or rotating the visual surround.

Main Results:

• Rotation of the arena floor with odor cues had no effect on ant orientation.
• Disorientation occurred when visual cues were blocked, even with intact odor cues.
• Rotation of the visual surround caused a corresponding rotation in ant headings.

Conclusions:

• Temnothorax ants rely heavily on visual navigation, even with limited visual acuity.
• Substrate-bound chemical signals are used more for territory marking than for orientation.
• Visual cues are crucial for navigation, overriding potential reliance on chemical trails in this species.