Formica ants comminicating (Formica fusca) Science Image

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Ant communication. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of three wood or heathland ants (Formica fusca) communicating. Ants are social insects that form large colonies. Communication is used to convey a range of information, such as the position of a new food source. This may involve physical contact by the rubbing together of their antennae or their forelegs, but communication is usually by the release of chemical signals called pheromones. Physical contact can help to reinforce these chemical signals. Magnification: x13 when printed 10cm wide.