#c. consobrinus

[micro-beauty]

Camponotus consobrinus tandem running!

Tandem running is a social behaviour seen mostly in Camponotus species, where one, usually more mature, ant will lead her sister to a foraging site.

The leading worker walks a small distance and then waits for her follower to catch up and touch her antannae to the leaders gaster, who will then continue to walk in these bursts.

[micro-beauty]

Camponotus consobrinus with more tandem running!

I recorded this in camp and apparently I never posted it.

Tandem running is a behaviour seen mostly in Camponotus species, a process where one ant will lead her sister to a place of interest.

I found it particularly interesting how patient the leading ant was here. She took care ensuring that she wasn’t moving if she didn’t know where the other ant was. These little insects have generally bad eyesight, and are almost blind, and so it appears the following ant quickly got lost and circled some time until she found her sister again, who waited unmoving for her sister to give her a que to continue. There were a few groups here but this individual consistently strayed and got a little bit lost.