How to get Ants to carry a sign - Smarter Every Day 92 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Leaf cutter ants in the jungle carry signs made from scraps of paper by being enticed with salty liquid.

Key Insights

• 🏮 Leaf cutter ants forage for sodium and can be enticed to carry signs by providing salty liquid on paper.
• 🤰 Leaf cutter ants have complex social structures and specific roles within their colonies.
• 🤰 Leaf cutter ant colonies are massive, with millions of ants and multiple entrances.
• 🤰 Smaller ants ride on top of leaves, cleaning them and protecting the carrying ant.
• 🎨 Enticing leaf cutter ants to carry signs requires wetting the paper and providing a clear design for them to follow.
• 🤰 Leaf cutter ant trails can be distinguished from human trails by the presence of cut leaves.
• 🍃 Leaf cutter ants retire from cutting leaves and become leaf carriers as they age.

Transcript

Hey it's me Destin, welcome back to Smarter Every Day. So you're probably wondering, if you've been watching the amazon series how I took an ink pen, a little scrap of paper and a camera into the middle of the jungle and walked out with footage of ants carrying a little sign that says Smarter Every Day. It's actually pretty simple, and gross. You p... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the creators of the video get the leaf cutter ants to carry signs?

They enticed the ants with salty liquid on pieces of paper, which the ants then carried.

Q: What are the different roles within a leaf cutter ant colony?

Leaf cutter ants have specific roles for cutting leaves, carrying them, and tending to the fungus they grow on the leaves.

Q: How do leaf cutter ants protect themselves while carrying leaves?

Smaller ants ride on top of the leaf, cleaning it and protecting the carrying ant from flies or other threats.

Q: Are leaf cutter ant colonies highly organized?

Yes, leaf cutter ants have one of the most complex social structures, with detailed organization and specific job roles.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Leaf cutter ants forage for sodium, so by providing salty liquid on a piece of paper, they can be enticed to carry signs.

• Leaf cutter ants have complex social structures, with specific roles for cutting leaves and carrying them.

• Leaf cutter ant colonies are massive, with millions of ants and multiple entrances and highways.