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Do ants ever get into 'traffic jams'? © Getty Images

Do ants ever get into 'traffic jams'?

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Trantsport on the ants-formation superhighway can get a little crowded...

Asked by: Focus

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No, for two reasons. First, ants are small and agile and can quite easily climb over each other if necessary. Second, ant behaviour is governed by hive intelligence that causes them to adopt optimal strategies for the group. Thus ants leaving the colony give way to those returning with food and unburdened ants will not try to overtake slower moving ants with heavy loads where the path is narrow.

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Authors

luis villazon
Luis VillazonQ&A expert

Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.

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