How Do Ants Communicate?

A colony of thousands of ants works together without a boss giving orders. That only works because ants constantly share information. They do not use words, but they have a whole toolbox of signals. The ants in the photo are Asian weaver ants. Read more about them in Oecophylla smaragdina facts.

Two weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) face to face.

Scent: the main language

Most ant communication happens with pheromones, chemical signals that ants smell with their antennae. There are different signals for different messages:

• Trail scents lead nestmates to food or a new nest. Read more in why do ants walk in a line?.

• Alarm scents warn the colony of danger and can make the whole nest storm out.

• Every colony has its own smell on the body of its ants. That is how ants recognise nestmates and strangers.

• The queen produces scents that tell the colony she is alive and healthy.

Touch and antennae

When two ants meet, they often tap each other with their antennae. That way they smell each other and pass on information, for example about how much food is coming in. Some ants lead a nestmate to a new place in a so-called tandem run, with the follower touching the leader all the way.

Sharing food

Ants share liquid food mouth to mouth. This is called trophallaxis. It not only spreads food through the colony, but also scents and other signals. That way every ant knows a little about how the colony is doing.

Sound and vibrations

Some ants also make sounds by rubbing two parts of their body together, a bit like a cricket. Ants that are buried, for example in a collapsed tunnel, can call for help this way. Many ants also feel vibrations through the ground.

Watch it yourself

In a formicarium you can see much of this happening: ants tapping antennae, sharing food and following each other to a new feeding spot. Try putting a little sugar water in the outworld and watch how fast the news spreads. Why ants love it so much is explained in sugar water: the hidden superfood for ants. New to ant keeping? Our ant starter kit has everything you need to start.

Photo: © Tom Kennedy