Ants know how to use tools to 'pave the way' through difficult terrain

Ants are experts at avoiding traffic jams, and individual ants know when to do and when to stop to help the colony succeed.

Now, researchers have captured fire ants (scientific name: Solenopsis invicta) using their skills to pave a path on sticky surfaces.

These ants are famous for creating bridges from their own bodies; They can also transform themselves into floating rafts to survive floods.

They transform themselves into floating rafts by clinging to each other by their feet and mouths, with very careful bites. Each individual ant has an average of 14 points of connection with neighboring ants, keeping them afloat by the bubbles formed by their water-resistant exoskeleton.

Fire ants use their skills to pave the way on sticky surfaces.

Ants also know how to use tools to carry food that is difficult to move, such as liquids. They introduce debris such as soil and leaves into the liquid, then carry absorbent 'tools' back to their nests.

With their ability to transport particles - anything from glass to sandy soil - ants contribute to an important ecological process, the movement of soil from below to the surface, significantly improving water infiltration and fertility of the topsoil.