[Dyre Straits]

Researchers from a Swiss/German team have determined that ants find their way to and from the nest by counting their steps. This is no joke. The research findings have been reported lately in several news sources. I read it in the newspaper just a few days ago.

I don't want to make fun of the researchers, but, this finding leaves a lot more questions than answers. For instance, what I want to know is:

1. Who listened in on the counting? And,

2. Do ants count by 1's, 2's, or 6's?

I can just see it now. Harry, the ant, is returning home and has counted down from 4,736,736 steps. (YES! It's divisible by 6. I already did the math. ) He's been careful to focus on his numbers as he's eager to get back to the nest.

On his way he bumps into his close buddy, George. George greets him and asks how the journey's been. Harry replies that there's a dead bumblebee that someone must have swatted down up ahead and if he hurries, George might get in on the last juicy bits.

They part ways and Harry pauses....

"Now, where was I?" He can't remember where he was in the count!! "Oh, gosh," he says, "now I'll never find my way home!"

About that time, George has proceeded on toward that dead bumblebee to get in on the action. But, just before he arrives, a HUGE flipflop lands right near him and the vibration lands him on top of someone's little toe! Across the yard they go....until the lady who owns that little toe realizes she's got a hitchhiking ant on her foot!

SLAM! SLAM! goes that foot and George goes flying a couple more feet away. Not knowing that they've traveled 30 feet across the yard, George decides that that bumblebee can wait. He's too freaked out and wants to get back to the nest.

So, he picks up counting where he left off and, when he gets down to zero, there's no nest in sight.

"It was right here the last time I counted!" he says in despair.

Well, let me tell you this. I don't think ants count at all. Here's my take on how ants find their way home:

Down in the depths of that ant hill is a Queen Ant. Everyone knows that only the Queen can lay eggs. In order to make sure these eggs get fertilized, she's developed a very sophisticated system of signals that are broadcast over the local W-ANT broadcasting system. (What did YOU think all those ant antennae were for?)

Haven't you ever noticed that, when watching a trail of ants, there always seems to be one little guy who's in a BIG RUSH? I'll tell you what's going on. That little guy got his signal from the nest and he's running and yelling, "Everybody! Get out of my way! It's my turn to screw the Queen!!!"

(Well, if researchers can use THEIR imaginations, why can't I?)


EDIT: Oh, and for those who want to read the scientific version:

http://www.livescience.com/animalwor...edometers.html

[Al_Vampyre]

LOL...nice one Dyre, I think you're take on it is probably more accurate...

[PangingJr]

depending on what the imaginations are about, i guess. but lol too, your own version of the imaginations on this one is fun, lol.

[TheBlackCat]

Their technique makes sense. I was under the impression ants use phermone trails, but I guess they don't in this case. If extending or retracting the legs had an effect on phermone detection, I would expect it to be the opposite of what they observed. Still, I am suprised they left their antennas intact. This is an important control. Unless, of course, it has already been established that these ants don't use phermones, which I suspect it would be considering they resorted to blindfolding them. So they have proprioception working, and have hopefully ruled out vision and smell. Hearing wouldn't be stable enough for navigation, magnetic sense wouldn't change appreciably over those distances, taste doesn't apply in this case, and there are no electrical signals to follow. That pretty much eliminates all the known senses.

[Neshi]

LOL... i can see it, those researchers busy getting the expiriment ready.
Ok frans, it's youre turn to blindfold the ants in the nest. now get them lined up so you can do it to every single one of them, otherwise that one you forgot will tell the rest were they are. Frans thinks by himself, here goes my night, and gets the little tiny blindfolds and his pincet.

[pr0digal jenius]

it's like the lottery. "Yes! My numbers! I get to ge LAID!"

[The_Neon_Cowboy]

its funny they leave a chemical trail, this is well known and need only retarce thier footeps by fallowing the trail the leave as they go...

[Neshi]

and what when they get on a bigger animal then theirselves. it carrys them with it... the the will never find home again..

[The_Neon_Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Neshi

and what when they get on a bigger animal then theirselves. it carrys them with it... the the will never find home again..

judt image trailing a line of brite red paint as you walk, no matter what happens, no matter how lost you get you need only fallow that trail back... you find food? you go back with some the whole collony then fallows that trail, to get to the food source, hince the line of ants. why they travel in a path like that thier fallowing a senct. If you reclocated and ant long as he can find that trail again he will be fine... other wise hes food for something else