Ants have pedometer

...an interesting article [source: New scientist ]

Desert ants have an internal system - like a pedometer - that keeps track of how many steps they take, according to a new study. The insects seem to rely on this system to find their way back to the nest after foraging. Other insects may also possess this pedometer-like system. Some types of ant appear to use visual cues or leave scent trails to find their way home. But desert ants have a remarkable ability to retrace their steps from their nesting site even though they travel on flat terrain that is devoid of landmarks, and any odours quickly fade in the hot temperatures.

Previously, researchers have found evidence that ants use the position of the sun as a compass (see Nature, DOI: 10.1038/293731a0). But, as Harald Wolf at the university of Ulm, Germany, and his colleagues point out, for such a compass to be of use desert ants would need a way to track distance.

btw... don't go with the image, it doesn't have any connection with the article. its from one of my favorite movie "Antz".


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.shiva.