Directed aerial descent in canopy ants

Stephen. P. Yanoviak, Robert Dudley and Michael Kaspari ()
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Stephen. P. Yanoviak: University of Texas Medical Branch
Robert Dudley: University of California
Michael Kaspari: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Nature, 2005, vol. 433, issue 7026, 624-626

Abstract: Forest ants: take the flight back Many tree-dwelling animals use gliding flight to get from tree to tree, for example flying squirrels, gliders and lemurs. Now similar behaviour has been observed in a wingless insect — the ants of tropical rainforest canopies. Simple experiments and videos show that after jumping or falling off a branch the ants avoid landing on the vegetation or the ground beneath by visually aligning themselves with the ‘home’ tree and gliding backwards to the trunk.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature03254

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