Flexible Foraging of Ants under Unsteadily Varying Environment

Abstract

Using a simple model for the trail formation of ants, the relation between i)the schedule of feeding which represents the unsteady natural environment, ii)emerging patterns of trails connecting a nest with food resources, and iii)the foraging efficiency is studied. Simulations and a simple analysis show that the emergent trail pattern flexibly varies depending on the feeding schedule by which ants can make an efficient foraging according to the underlying unsteady environment.