2022 Volume 53 Issue 1 Pages 37-44
Ants, which are eusocial insects, exhibit disciplined behavior based on a nest (colony) consisting of a small number of reproductive and a large number of worker ants in a common body odor. In particular, one of the most important rules for the behavior of elder workers having foraging task out of the nest is the identification rule for recognizing the nest mates as “friends” and the non-nestmate as “enemies”. Focusing on the hydrocarbon sensillum having a novel micro-network among receptor neurons responsible for a robust friend and enemy discrimination, we explain the mechanism to establish this rule through the molecule(s), cell(s), and individual(s) levels. We also introduce the possibility of using the code of conduct for identifying enemies to prevent the invasion and expansion of alien ant species that threaten the biodiversity of native ecosystems.
