Ants’ Ability in Solving Simple Problems

Abstract

Aiming to know the extent of the ants' cognitive abilities, we set Myrmica ruginodis workers in four problematic situations. We discovered that these ants could walk round a barrier, by foraging and navigating as usual, using known visual cues. They could walk preferentially on smooth substrates instead of rough ones, but did not memorize their choice. This behavior may be due to the easier deposit of pheromones on a smooth substrate. The ants could establish a single way when having only two narrow paths for going in and out of their nest. This was the consequence of the ants' traffic and of the distinct pheromonal deposits while going in and out of the nest. The oldest ants needing sugar water could push a door for getting such water. They did so by having the audacity to go on walking, whatever the presence of a door. Such a door is not a tool sensu stricto. Future studies will examine if ants can lean new techniques, can use tools and/or can learn using tools.

Learning a Behavioral Sequence: An Accessible Challenge for Myrmica sabuleti Workers?

“…In our studies of ants' solving problems (Cammaerts, 2017a), reacting as never before in novel situations (Cammaerts, 2017b), using tools (Cammaerts, 2018), each time the ants succeeded in correctly reacting, they were somewhat rewarded. In the same way, each time the ants did not succeed in correctly responding, they received no reward.…”

“…We have also approached the ontogenesis of Myrmica ants' abilities (M.-C. Cammaerts & R. Cammaerts, 2015a). We also know that these ants can expect the location and the time of food delivery on basis of previous deliveries (M.-C. Cammaerts & R. Cammaerts, 2016a, 2016b, recognize themselves in a mirror (M.-C. Cammaerts & R. Cammaerts, 2015b), individually acquire conditioning and imitate (Cammaerts, 2013), solve simple problems (Cammaerts, 2017a), and can acquire new methods in a novel situation (Cammaerts, 2017b), but cannot use sensu stricto tools (Cammaerts, 2018). The present study was thus a further step in our knowledge of Myrmica ants' biology, bringing information on the ants' ability in learning a sequence of behavior, and on the behavioral process(es) they use to learn such a sequence.…”

Can Myrmica rubra Ants Use Tools or Learn to Use Them?

“…We showed previously that ants are capable of associative learning, memorization, and performing several simple innate behaviors , and that ants can imitate (Cammaerts, 2013a) and learn in the presence of experienced nest mates (Cammaerts & Cammaerts, 2015b). We revealed that the ants can solve simple problems acting according to their behavioral repertory (Cammaerts, 2017a) and can acquire some novel techniques (Cammaerts, 2017b). Here, we showed that the ants were at the limit of using and of learning to use sensu stricto proto-tools and concluded that their cognitive abilities did not include tool use.…”

“…The ant brain is highly sophisticated and allows performing multiple and complex acts (Straufeld, 1976). Working with the ant Myrmica ruginodis Nylander 1846, we showed that workers can solve some simple problems: they could walk round a barrier, walk preferentially on smooth substrates instead of rough ones, establish one-way paths when only two narrow paths for going in and out of their nest were available, and push a door to access sugar water (Cammaerts, 2017a). Thereafter, we observed that they could learn novel behaviors, although such behaviors were not initially exhibited: they learned to wet solid sugar or to sweeten pure water to collect sugar water, to open a double door nearly shutting their sugar water tube entrance, and to enlarge a narrow path through a thin cotton barrier plugging their nest entrance (Cammaerts, 2017b).…”

“…After demonstrating that ants can solve simple problems acting according to their behavioral repertory (Cammaerts, 2017a) and can learn through conditioning and imitation some simple new methods (Cammaerts, 2017b), we wanted to proceed a further step and examine whether the ants could perform some more difficult tasks. More precisely, in this study, we determined whether the ant species, Myrmica rubra Linnaeus 1758, under experimental circumstances could use some type of "tool" (a "proto-tool," which is a tool already tied to the object to be handled) or could learn to use it with efficiency.…”