Ants travel in lines

Image

Image: Zachary Hunt, YouTube

Spring time in Southern California brings out the ants. When ants swarm that crumb on your kitchen counter, they will probably travel in a straight line to get there. Why do ants move in lines and how do ants know to follow this path? What would happen if we obstructed that path with a solid object?

Resources:

YouTube, Ants Travel in Lines

Type
Phenomena
Subject
Life Science

More Activities & Resources:

Grunions reproduce by coming completely out of the water to spawn on beaches
Phenomena
San Diegans received cell phone notifications warning of poor air quality in San Diego
Phenomena
How can fire be used to mitigate wildfires?
Phenomena

The Fleet Science Center invites you to connect to the power of science through FLEETtv!