Why do ants walk in a line?
Ants walk in a line because they follow a smelly trail to food.
Pip’s answer
- Ants walk in a line because they follow a smelly trail to food.
- The first ant finds food and leaves a special smell on the ground.
- Other ants sniff it with their feelers and march right along it. Sniff, sniff!
- Wow, buddy, thousands of tiny ants can work together like one big team!
For grown-ups
When an ant finds food, it lays down a chemical trail of pheromones on its way back to the nest. Other ants follow and reinforce the scent, which forms a line. When the food runs out, ants stop adding scent and the trail fades.
Ask your child: What do you think happens if we gently put a leaf across an ant trail?
More questions kids ask
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- 🐦How do birds fly?
- 🦒Why do giraffes have long necks?
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