Can ants walk backwards?

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4 Answers

Jewelly A. Shetka Profile
Ants can move backwards,
move to get out of the path of
an ant that's coming the other way,
but I've never seen it move more
than a three or four steps (with so many
legs, is 'a step' one leg and foot moving
or all of them moving once?)  I don't know
how far they can move backwards, but I
assume that there's not too many reasons
for one to 'back out of the driveway', as it were.
*Example, here at home, ours is 350' long*
Ant runs tend to be made for two-way traffic, so
just turning around shouldn't be any problem.
thanked the writer.
Tony Newcastle
Tony Newcastle commented
Well done, Syron.
Yes, ants are clever little insects, and if you study their behaviour patterns, as you obviously have, they march or scurry in two lines, so as not to fall over each other.
Some ant-hills have colonies of hundreds or even thousands of ants, so a degree of organisation is necessary, and they don't even have traffic lights!!
Jewelly A. Shetka

Thank you.
Maybe our traffic problems would be eased
if we paid attention to them...
Though, the idea of using the roof route
makes me shiver. Can you imagine it?
A car going one way on the ground passing
passing it on the roof in the other direction.
Bet there'd be fewer
people falling asleep at the wheel.
Annie Devore Profile
Annie Devore answered
I Don't See Why Not.  But If We Do It.. People Think We Are  Whacked.. Try Driving Backwards On The Freeway. Not A Good Idea. I Can't.. But Maybe 4 Or Five Steps. It's Like Turning Back Time I Guess
Lynne Dwyer Profile
Lynne Dwyer answered
Yes ! I know for sure they can. My gf told me ants won't walk over a chalkline. Imagine what I told her ! But, I tried it. Not only will they not walk over a chalkline, they walk backwards, to get away from it. I learned something new. Now you did too ! :)

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