Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Intelligence tests in ants


  • Please log in to reply
1 reply to this topic

#1 Offline Ernteameise - Posted December 3 2024 - 10:29 AM

Ernteameise

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,124 posts
  • LocationGermany

Question to all the ant keepers out there.

So there has been this experiment where scientists examined the intelligence of bumblebees.

They trained bumblebees to pull strings to get to a sweet treat.

Pulling strings to get at food is something only "higher animals" could do- or so it was thought previously.

Turns out the humble bumblebee is also quite clever.

 

https://www.scienced...61004141432.htm

 

 

Has anyone ever tried something like this with their ants?

It would be very interesting to find out if some ants would do this, too.

I am actually tempted to build something for my Messors, and use some kind of string with seed at the end and see if they would pull it.

However, I think it will be a challenge to find a string that the ants cannot climb, but are able to pull....


  • rptraut likes this

#2 Offline OwlThatLikesAnts - Posted December 3 2024 - 11:18 AM

OwlThatLikesAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 258 posts

 

Has anyone ever tried something like this with their ants?

It would be very interesting to find out if some ants would do this, too.

I am actually tempted to build something for my Messors, and use some kind of string with seed at the end and see if they would pull it.

However, I think it will be a challenge to find a string that the ants cannot climb, but are able to pull....

 

they actually use tools

There was a science experiment where they gave ants a sponge and a bunch of sugar water, and what they did is they immediately went for the sponge and put it on the water and waited for a bit then ran away with the sponge full of sugary sweetness

 

They also can recognise themselves in a mirror

scientist put a blue dot on their heads (so the scientist could tell colony members apart) and gave them a mirror, the ants with a blue dot saw it in the mirror and tried to groom the blue dot off

 

I also think you can rig up a contraption similar to the one for the bumble bee except it is full of seeds


Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, December 3 2024 - 11:26 AM.

  • rptraut, Ernteameise, Voidley and 2 others like this

Currently keeping:

 

1x Formica subsericea, (used to be polygynous) 20+ workers

1x Lasius umbratus, (Workers accepted) 25 workers with host brood (I think they are dead now lol)

1x Crematogaster cerasi 4 workers with brood (still growing)

 

As you watch your ants march, remember: every journey begins with a single step (or queen)-not just towards you, but towards a future woven by diligence and shared dreams - Me

 

(I lost braincells just to make this quote)





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users