Battle scarred ant antennae can’t tell friend from foe

Novel research shows damage to fine hairs on ants' antennae's hinders the ability to determine who is a nest mate and who is a threat to the colony. Professor Mark Elgar and his team at the Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne has shown that the right level of ant aggression depends on the density of the fine hairs on the antennae. The researchers conducted experiments with the tropical weaver ant, a notoriously aggressive species that builds nests in trees. To identify friend from foe a worker ant brushes her antennae across the other ant. If they don't share the same odour, the worker will attempt to maim and kill the intruder. Professor Mark Elgar said, "We have shown if the hairs on the antennae have been damaged by battles or normal wear and tear, then the ants ability to detect the right message and respond appropriately is compromised. Surprisingly, this is not age related." In the highly social ant world, protecting the nest from enemies is crucial for survival so the antennae play a critical role.