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ABSTRACT. A laboratory colony of the wood ant Formica aquilonia (Yarrow) was maintained under strictly controlled feeding regimens. The number of foragers at a particular site is related to the previous provisioning of the colony and the familiarity and accessibility of the resource to foragers. Under a standard regimen a predictable number of ants forage to a known site and display a typical pattern of daily activity. This pattern is examined under stable and changing circumstances. Following food‐deprivation individuals increase their foray‐frequency and carry larger volumes of sugar solution per foray. On days of critical food‐deficit supernumerary workers are recruited. How foragers are directed to a novel food source in unfamiliar territory is examined. Following‐behaviour is not involved, neither it appears are pheromones.

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