Ants are adept navigators, but when ants find their typical route blocked by an obstacle or predator, they're able to adjust, according to a new study.

But ants don't simply ad-lib a workaround. Research suggests they adopt and memorize a new preferred path.

Lab tests showed ants use what scientists dubbed an aversive learning mechanism. By associating visual cues with negative experiences, ants can memorize and avoid dangerous routes.

For the tests, scientists at the French National Center for Scientific Research placed a pit trap with slippery walls in the ants' path back to the nest. A tiny bridge disguised by twigs allowed the trapped ants to escape.

At first, all of the ants bee-lined right into the trap on their way home. On the second go-around, many of the ants slowed and even stopped. The cautious ants scanned the environment and opted for an alternate route.

The tests -- described in the journal Current Biology -- showed ants recalled the visual stimuli that preceded their sudden fall and later recalled those cues.

Researchers tested two species of desert ant, Melophorus bagoti from Australia and Cataglyphis fortis from the Sahara, and observed similar results.

"The views experienced before falling into the trap become associated with the ensuing negative outcome and thus trigger salutary turns on the subsequent trip," scientists wrote in their paper. "This drives the ants to orient away from the goal direction and avoid the trap. If the pit trap is avoided, the novel views experienced during the detour become positively reinforced and the new route crystallizes."

Scientists plan to incorporate the newly identified aversive learning mechanism into their current neural models to better understand the intricacies of the insect nervous system.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

In Asia, bucking the global lockdown trend
Hong Kong (AFP) April 8, 2020
As the coronavirus pandemic sparks global lockdowns, life has continued comparatively unhindered in places like Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong after their governments and citizens took decisive early action against the unfolding crisis. At first glance Taiwan looks like an ideal candidate for the coronavirus. The island of 23 million lies just 180 kilometres (110 miles) off mainland China. Yet nearly 100 days in, Taiwan has just 376 confirmed cases and five fatalities while restaurants, bars, ... read more