| Have
you
noticed that
ants play
“follow the
leader” when
they find food?
This activity
shows why. |
|
HERE’S
WHAT YOU NEED |
| • |
A sheet of
paper about 16“ square |
| • |
A pencil |
| • |
Scissors |
| • |
Masking tape |
| • |
Ants |
| • |
Honey |
| |
|
| HERE’S
WHAT YOU DO |
| 1. |
Draw a circle about 5“ across.
Around this circle, draw four more circles, each one an inch
larger, so that you have a circle surrounded by four circles. |
| 2. |
Cut along each line.
Remove the middle circle. You now have four rings. |
| 3. |
Lightly tape the rings
together. |
| 4. |
Find some ants outdoors.
Place a drop of honey near the ants. |
| 5. |
Surround the honey drop
with the rings. Tape down the outer and inner edges of the
rings. |
| 6. |
Soon after the first ant
tastes the honey, you’ll have a trail of ants from
the anthill to the honey. Notice that all the ants are following
the same path. The first ant made a scent trail that the
other ants follow. |
| 7. |
Remove the innermost
ring to take away the part of the scent trail. How do the
ants react? |
| 8. |
After the ants have found
their way to the honey again, remove the next two inner rings.
How do the ants react to the bigger gap in their trail? |
