3 replies to this topic

[futurebird]

Ants have body language. This body language can vary by species and by caste, but there are some general rules that I've noticed. 



mandibles open: want to bite, I can bite!

antennae upright moving in air: what do my sisters think?
antennae folded: resting or sleeping
antennae tapping another ant's body: hi, who the heck are you?
antennae tapping another ant's head: I'm hungry feed me
In general whatever the antennae are touching has the ants attention, they are far more sensitive than the ants eyes in most species. Many ants have poor vision or only the ability to sense light and shadow.
 

legs stiff, standing tall: I'm very big and intimidating
legs tucked, body low: no ant here! move along... or resting

varies by species:
gaster(ant butt) raised: I could spray you with acid! OR
gaster tucked under body: I could spray you with acid!

tapping gaster on the ground in a quick jerk: This makes a noise other ants can hear, and it means "danger" or "get ready to attack" majors of camponotus often do this.

dragging gaster while walking: something good is on this trail! follow!

dragging gaster in a circle around an enemy "here's the jerk! get 'em girls!"

running in circles mandibles open: I'm sounding the alarm! Calling my sisters!

 

some camponotus species:
front legs up like boxing gloves, back four legs tall: I'm ready to box with another ant to determine who is allowed here.

Not all ants have boxing to determine territory, some will just grapple or even fight to the death.

 

Body language isn't as important as pheromones for ants, but smells are harder us us to learn as we can't really decode them easily with our noses.

What ant body language have you noticed?

[ANTdrew]

Crematogaster adorably wag their heart butts up and down when they taste a food they like.

[Serafine]

Ants do have some fairly interesting body language indeed.

 

Camponotus can tap other Camponotus and tell them to follow, resluting in a tandem or sometimes a group of ants following a leading worker (in this kind of stop-motion walk, where they walk a short distance then wait until they get a pat on the back from the worker that's following them). I've occasionally seen that with mine (best to observe in less crowded areas of the setup).

Something that's also very common is this kind of "telling by doing" sign langauge when they attempt to feed another worker but don't present any food as a hint for "there's food if you folow my trail" and of course fake attacks on other colony members to tell them "there's trouble ahead".

I also love when they slam their bodies or gasters onto the ground to alert others, kinda like war drums.

Edited by Serafine, August 13 2022 - 9:19 AM.

[FinWins]

My Camponotus modoc will stand as tall as they can and lunge at what ever I stick in their test tube if I disturb them to much. I think it might be their way of try to scary me off because they try to make them selves look bigger. Another thing I’ve noticed is whenever a worker gets really excited whether it’s from a possible threat or a food discovery they run back to the colony a start vibrating like when cartoon character eats a bomb. I believe this is their ways of communicating that they have found something of interest.