Hobbies And Interests
Nocturnal Existence
By working at night, carpenter ants gain several advantages over other ant species. It helps them avoid predators that rely on sight to find their prey, using the cloak of darkness to stay hidden. Most ant species are active in the day and must compete for the same resources. By working at night, carpenter ants can share the same resources as other species. The carpenter act is also able to travel faster at night once the temperatures drop, which is an adaption specific to the species.
Chemical Trails
Carpenter ants leave a pheromone trail behind them as they search for food. These trails eventually become high-traffic pathways as other ants follow them to the source. The hind gut of the ant produces hydrocarbons that get deposited on the ground as the ant drags its abdomen in the dirt. Heavily traveled pathways are called "trunk trails" and can lead to food sources such as aphid colonies, where the ants collect honeydew from the other insect.
Physical Trails
Carpenter ants also develop physical trails using structural guideline orientation. They use stimuli that they can touch, such as edges and grooves in vines, bark and roots. The ant's movement is most efficient on uncluttered guidelines in their physical environment, so they will often follow winding paths in their surroundings instead of a straight line. These physical guidelines are another adaption for activity at night, since the ants cannot rely on sight to orient themselves in the absence of light.
Moon Orientation
Evidence has proved that carpenter ants also use the moon to orient themselves to their surrounding, further adapting to night existence. Experiments have used mirrors to change the apparent position of the moon, resulting in the carpenter ants reversing their direction. Ants use a combination of chemical pathways, physical trails and moon orientation to help themselves get around at night. Which type of orientation tools they rely on most depends on the presence or strength of the other stimuli.