Ants’ Foraging, A Mystery

Khokan Naskar and Srimanta K. Raut
Page No: 
064-067

The ants Pheidole roberti were offered food at different locations in their natural foraging area on 108 days, both in day and night time at Garia, Kolkata, India to note the first contact time with the said food by them following supply of the food. It is revealed that the ants are equally apt to locate the food both in day and night times and the first contact time varied from 1 to 60 minutes, on average 7.56 ± 0.94 SE (n = 108) minutes. Statistical analysis of the data clearly revealed that there exists no significant difference in contact time in respect to locations of the food (F = 0.38, df = 9, 98, n = 107). This sort of foraging behaviour thus, uncovering the mystery of ants’ foraging strategy under natural conditions.

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