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Although wind is a ubiquitous component of ecological systems and might affect pheromone communication, its effects have not been studied in depth. To test whether wind impacts trail pheromone behaviour, we studied the behaviour of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex lobicornis in natural nests. We conducted observations under (1) unaltered scenarios with different wind intensities and (2) manipulative experiments aimed at altering trail-marking pheromone volatilization rates. In our manipulative experiments, we placed filter paper on ant trails, then removed the pheromone-marked paper 24 h later and either exposed or did not expose the marked paper to artificial wind (2 km/h) for 1 or 3 h. We then put the marked paper back on the trail and filmed ants' responses for 1 min. As controls, we filmed ants' responses to filter paper immediately before it was removed as well as their responses to new unmarked filter paper. We measured ant flux, speed and walking sinuosity of ants over trails and filter paper, the number of ants tapping their gaster against the substrate (an indication of pheromone-marking frequency), the number of head-on encounters among workers (as alternative modes of communication) and ant body size. Wind negatively affected ant traffic by decreasing ant flux and speed. Colonies increased the number of U-turns and head-on encounters among workers, with a higher response as wind exposure time increased, but trail pheromone deposition was constant among treatments. The size frequency distribution of foragers over the treatment area was skewed towards larger ants on trails with unmarked paper and on trails with paper that had been exposed to wind for 1 or 3 h or not exposed to wind but removed for 3 h. This could be the result of small ants focusing on pheromone trail maintenance, while larger ones focused on foraging on the filter paper irrespective of whether it had been marked. Our results suggest that division of labour and behavioural plasticity might allow leaf-cutting ants to mitigate the effects of wind on pheromone communication and continue foraging. • Wind negatively affected ant traffic on trails by decreasing ant flux and speed. • Ants performed more U-turns and head-on encounters on trails exposed to wind. • Wind exposure did not affect trail pheromone deposition. • Wind exposure influenced the size frequency distribution of forager ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problems of slow convergence and low accuracy of the traditional ant colony algorithm in solving the traveling salesman problem (TSP), this paper proposes a heterogeneous ant colony algorithm based on the selective evolution mechanism and game strategy (SGHACA). First, we propose a game mechanism. In each iteration, the best population and the worst population will play a game. At the end of the game, pheromone gains will be given to the participants according to the weight coefficients to motivate the populations to participate in the next round of the game, in order to promote cooperation among different populations and thus improve the diversity of the algorithm. Second, we introduce a selective evolution mechanism. The optimal paths of each iteration are compared with the historical optimal paths to evolve relatively better path fragments, thus improving the convergence speed of the algorithm. Finally, when the algorithm stagnates, we introduce a dynamic shaking mechanism, which is able to dynamically dither the pheromone on the current optimal path according to the number of iterations, increasing the probability that the algorithm chooses other paths, thus helping to jump out of the locally optimal solution. In order to verify the effectiveness of the improved algorithm in this paper, we experimentally verify through a large number of TSP instances that SGHACA is able to improve the convergence of the algorithm and the accuracy of the solution to a certain extent when solving large-scale TSP. Meanwhile, compared with the latest improved algorithms, the accuracy of the solution of SGHACA is better than most of the latest improved algorithms, which indicates that the improved algorithm of this paper has some competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ant colony optimization is an intelligent evolutionary algorithm that has been widely used in the field of path planning, and the research on its improved methods is proliferating. In this paper, the improvement methods of single and hybrid ant colony optimization in path planning are reviewed in terms of initial pheromone concentration, heuristic function, state transition rule, pheromone update rule, and parameter optimization, respectively. The future research directions of ant colony optimization have been prospected in terms of theoretical aspects, parameter setting and optimization, integration with other algorithms, and multiobjectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problems of slow convergence and insufficient accuracy of traditional ant colony algorithms in solving large-scale problems, this paper proposes a multi-ant colony optimization algorithm based on game strategy and hierarchical temporal memory model (GHMACO). Firstly, the heterogeneous multi-ant colony model is constructed, and each colony collaborates to improve the performance of the algorithm. Secondly, in order to enhance the communication among the heterogeneous colonies, a non-cooperative game strategy is introduced. The heterogeneous ant colonies are divided into the propagating colony and the absorbing colonies, where the propagating colony propagates the optimal payoffs of the game, and the absorbing colonies choose optimal strategies for absorption to balance the convergence and diversity of the algorithm. Further, the hierarchical temporal memory model is adopted to perform hierarchical optimization strategies based on path memories which includes: local exploration strategy, pheromone redistribution strategy and path replacement strategy, thus improving the accuracy of the algorithm and helping the colonies to jump out of the local optimum. Experiments on the traveling salesman problem show that the improved algorithm is effective in improving the convergence and accuracy of the traditional ant colony algorithms, especially in large-scale problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several algorithms have been proposed in recent decades to solve optimization problems, some of which have been inspired by nature. The collective behavior of ants is an example of intelligence in the nature which has been a source of inspiration for optimization algorithms. Based on the concept of path integration, ants are able to continuously calculate their current location from their previous trajectory when exploring to find food. In the return journey, they go by calculating the outcome of the route, without returning exactly from their path, choosing a direct path to return to their original point. In this paper, the behavior of desert ants in finding their return path to the nest is the source of inspiration. By modeling the swarm intelligence of these ants based on the results of empirical scientific research, a new optimization algorithm is presented, termed Ant Path Integration. In this paper, the mathematical relationships governing the concept of path integration are presented. Simulation results on a variety of benchmark functions, including some of the CEC2019 benchmarks, show the superiority of this algorithm in finding the optimal solution in comparison to some well-known optimization algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper follows a flat ontology of actor network theory to trace the social as an interconnected web of relations that do not necessarily cohere. Tea is an essential actant in the tea ceremony, but tea itself is its own web. This paper works with both the concept and the empirical case (tea) of materiality, trying to bring them into conversation. I propose an empirical-theoretical assemblage that does not follow a linear and smooth explanatory narrative. It aims to provide one among many webs of relations connected to tea: how the making process of tea affects the taste of tea, which is a complicated process involving human and non-human factors; the aging process of tea, which speaks to the agentic quality of object; how the taste of tea affects people's emotional and affective state. The competing theoretical discourses on materiality are brought together by the ANT approach and the specific associations of tea enrich our understanding of the theoretical literatures and food studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed energy resources have demonstrated their potential to mitigate the limitations of large, centralized generation systems. This is achieved through the geographical distribution of generation sources that capitalize on the potential of their respective environments to satisfy local demand. In a microgrid, the control problem is inherently distributed, rendering traditional control techniques inefficient due to the impracticality of central governance. Instead, coordination among its components is essential. The challenge involves enabling these components to operate under optimal conditions, such as charging batteries with surplus solar energy or deactivating controllable loads when market prices rise. Consequently, there is a pressing need for innovative distributed strategies like emergent control. Inspired by phenomena such as the environmentally responsive behavior of ants, emergent control involves decentralized coordination schemes. This paper introduces an emergent control strategy for microgrids, grounded in the response threshold model, to establish an autonomous distributed control approach. The results, utilizing our methodology, demonstrate seamless coordination among the diverse components of a microgrid. For instance, system resilience is evident in scenarios where, upon the failure of certain components, others commence operation. Moreover, in dynamic conditions, such as varying weather and economic factors, the microgrid adeptly adapts to meet demand fluctuations. Our emergent control scheme enhances response times, performance, and on/off delay times. In various test scenarios, Integrated Absolute Error (IAE) metrics of approximately 0.01% were achieved, indicating a negligible difference between supplied and demanded energy. Furthermore, our approach prioritizes the utilization of renewable sources, increasing their usage from 59.7% to 86.1%. This shift not only reduces reliance on the public grid but also leads to significant energy cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the attracting set of an ant colonies model with bounded noisy perturbation. This perturbation is modeled by the well-known Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process and the arc tangent function. For the random model, we first verify the existence and uniqueness of the global positive solution, and then prove the existence of the deterministic attracting set. Furthermore, in order to reveal more detailed information about the long-time behavior of the ant colonies system, we analyze the internal structure of the attracting set and provide some conditions under which coexistence (or extinction) of the ant species exists in the ant colonies system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the manufacture of Juan Calos I's charisma as a pilot of change in the transition from late Francoism to the democratic transition through Cuéntame Cómo Pasó. Its objective is to carry out a comparative study of the first fourteen seasons of the series and the reception of the viewers. For this purpose and relying on a work of visualization of the episodes (which includes the transcription of the conversations and highlighted images) and on the focus groups (with viewers who present different ideological sensibilities as well as different places of residence, social classes, age or gender), the ideological structure of the series is revealed ant the type of reception it has had in the viewers is discussed. The article concludes by showing a certain coherence between the ideological interests of the series and the opinions of the members of the focus groups. On the one hand, it served to crystallize the ideological profile of one of the most relevant television series of the 21st century in Spain. On the other hand, it allowed us to give voice to the viewers instead of a strictly erudite analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ants fulfill an important ecological function, not only serving as one of the main decomposers but also playing a role in improving soil fertility. Ants may conflict with humans as a pest species in homes and living facilities (e.g., closets, wardrobes, cabinets, and tables), as well as in outdoor facilities (e.g., tables, chairs, and benches). In addition, ants and humans can come into conflict in green spaces (including parks, gardens, and tourist attractions) and can seriously interfere with outdoor leisure and the life and entertainment activities of people (especially children). Therefore, it is a matter of public health and environmental protection to ensure ant prevention by adopting green control technology and not merely by spraying pesticides to kill them. This review mainly focuses on the species and diversity of ants, especially in China, and the research progress of ant tropism regarding phototaxis, chromotaxis, and chemotaxis (i.e., 3-tropisms). Moreover, current research on repellent substances is also summarized, analyzed, and discussed in order to help the application of green prevention and control technology for ant diversity protection and conservation, especially in daily home life and entertainment activities. This field of research is related to ensuring the healthy life of the public and the protection of the ecological environment. Ants are one of the largest insect groups, with the most species and individuals in the world, and they have an important ecological function. Ants are not only an important part of the food chains but are also one of the main decomposers on the Earth; they can also improve soil fertility, etc. However, some species of ants are harmful to human beings, which leads to people's panic or worry about coming into contact with these insects during their daily home life or in their tourism or leisure activities. The presence of ants in indoor living facilities and in outdoor green spaces, parks, gardens, and tourist attractions seriously interferes with the leisure life and entertainment activities of all people (especially children). How can we control ants in these environments? Do we kill them by spraying insecticides, or do we adopt green prevention and control technology for the ecological management of ants? This topic is related to healthy life for the public and the protection of the ecological environment. In this paper, the species and diversity of ants are introduced, and research progress regarding ant tropism is introduced according to the three aspects of phototaxis, chromotaxis, and chemotaxis (i.e., "3-tropisms"). The research on repellent substances from plants and insects and the related ant attractants are also summarized, analyzed, and discussed, in order to help the research and application of green prevention and control technology for ant diversity protection and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers the modification and application of the ant colony method for the problem of directed enumeration of the values of system parameters when performing calculated multiple calculations. Interaction with the user makes it possible to stop the process of exhaustive enumeration of sets of parameter values, and the application of a modification of the ant colony method will allow us to consider rational sets at early iterations. If the user does not terminate the algorithm, then the proposed modifications allow one to enumerate all solutions using the ant colony method. To modify the ant colony method, a new probabilistic formula and various algorithms of the ant colony method are proposed, allowing for each agent to find a new set of parameter values. The optimal algorithm, according to the research results, is the use of repeated endless cyclic search for a new solution. This modification allows you to consider all solutions, and at the same time, find all the optimal solutions among the first 5% of the considered solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning (DL) based detection models are powerful tools for large-scale analysis of dynamic biological behaviors in video data. Supervised training of a DL detection model often requires a large amount of manually-labeled training data which are time-consuming and labor-intensive to acquire. In this paper, we propose LFAGPA (Learn From Algorithm-Generated Pseudo-Annotations) that utilizes (noisy) annotations which are automatically generated by algorithms to train DL models for ant detection in videos. Our method consists of two main steps: (1) generate foreground objects using a (set of) state-of-the-art foreground extraction algorithm(s); (2) treat the results from step (1) as pseudo-annotations and use them to train deep neural networks for ant detection. We tackle several challenges on how to make use of automatically generated noisy annotations, how to learn from multiple annotation resources, and how to combine algorithm-generated annotations with human-labeled annotations (when available) for this learning framework. In experiments, we evaluate our method using 82 videos (totally 20,348 image frames) captured under natural conditions in a tropical rain-forest for dynamic ant behavior study. Without any manual annotation cost but only algorithm-generated annotations, our method can achieve a decent detection performance (77% in F 1 score). Moreover, when using only 10% manual annotations, our method can train a DL model to perform as well as using the full human annotations (81% in F 1 score). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the efficiency and adaptability of cognitive radar jamming decision-making, a fusion algorithm (Ant-QL) based on ant colony and Q-Learning is proposed in this paper. The algorithm does not rely on a priori information and enhances adaptability through real-time interactions between the jammer and the target radar. At the same time, it can be applied to single jammer and multiple jammer countermeasure scenarios with high jamming effects. First, traditional Q-Learning and DQN algorithms are discussed, and a radar jamming decision-making model is built for the simulation verification of each algorithm. Then, an improved Q-Learning algorithm is proposed to address the shortcomings of both algorithms. By introducing the pheromone mechanism of ant colony algorithms in Q-Learning and using the ε -greedy algorithm to balance the contradictory relationship between exploration and exploitation, the algorithm greatly avoids falling into a local optimum, thus accelerating the convergence speed of the algorithm with good stability and robustness in the convergence process. In order to better adapt to the cluster countermeasure environment in future battlefields, the algorithm and model are extended to cluster cooperative jamming decision-making. We map each jammer in the cluster to an intelligent ant searching for the optimal path, and multiple jammers interact with each other to obtain information. During the process of confrontation, the method greatly improves the convergence speed and stability and reduces the need for hardware and power resources of the jammer. Assuming that the number of jammers is three, the experimental simulation results of the convergence speed of the Ant-QL algorithm improve by 85.4%, 80.56% and 72% compared with the Q-Learning, DQN and improved Q-Learning algorithms, respectively. During the convergence process, the Ant-QL algorithm is very stable and efficient, and the algorithm complexity is low. After the algorithms converge, the average response times of the four algorithms are 6.99 × 10−4 s, 2.234 × 10−3 s, 2.21 × 10−4 s and 1.7 × 10−4 s, respectively. The results show that the improved Q-Learning algorithm and Ant-QL algorithm also have more advantages in terms of average response time after convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

USVs have emerged as effective instruments in a wide range of maritime applications, including environmental monitoring and search-and-rescue missions. The surge in their application is attributed to their operational flexibility and cost efficiency, making them a focal point of research interest in recent years. One of the research angles related to the USV is the path planning algorithm, which is the core technology in USV deployment. Among various path planning algorithms, Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) has garnered considerable attention for its capability to discover near-optimal solutions in complex search spaces inspired by the foraging behavior of ants. Therefore, this paper discusses the application of ACO in the path planning of USVs, including the development of the ACO algorithms and the challenges faced in designing the path planning algorithm. This work also proposes research priorities and future works for USV path planning based on existing research works. Specifically, future research works aim to address the existing challenges and enhance the practical deployment of ACO-based path planning techniques for USVs. In summary, this paper is a valuable resource for researchers and engineers interested in optimizing the navigation of USVs through effective path planning strategies using ACO algorithms. • Implementing ACO-based path planning in the dynamic environment is the main challenge. • There has been limited research on multi-objective path planning for USVs. • Collaboration mission between multiple USVs and UUVs can be explored in the future. • Only 14.7% of the ACO-based path planning in USVs works include the hardware validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Adhesive tapes are as effective as baits and pitfall traps in monitoring Solenopsis invicta and Tapinoma melanocephalum in urban areas in southern China. However, adhesive tapes detected less ants and fewer species of non-target ants than baits and pitfall traps. Our study demonstrated that tape-paving behavior can potentially be used in developing more specific monitoring methods for S. invicta and T. melanocephalum in urban areas in southern China. Our previous study discovered that two urban pest ants, red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), and ghost ants, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae), can pave viscose surfaces with particles to facilitate food search and transport. We hypothesize that this paving behavior can be applied to monitor S. invicta and T. melanocephalum. In the present study, 3998 adhesive tapes, each with a food source (sausage), were placed in 20 locations around Guangzhou, China (181–224 tapes per location), and their efficiency to detect S. invicta and T. melanocephalum was compared with two traditional ant-monitoring methods, baiting and pitfall trapping. Overall, S. invicta was detected by 45.6% and 46.4% of baits and adhesive tapes, respectively. In each location, the percentage of adhesive tapes detecting S. invicta and T. melanocephalum was similar when compared to baits and pitfall traps. However, significantly more non-target ant species showed up on bait and pitfall traps. Seven non-target ant species—Pheidole parva Mayr (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Pheidole nodus Smith (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Pheidole sinica Wu & Wang (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Pheidole yeensis Forel (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Carebara affinis (Jerdon) (Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Camponotus nicobarensis Mayr (Formicidae: Formicinae), and Odontoponera transversa (Smith) (Formicidae: Ponerinae)—also showed tape paving behavior, but they can be easily distinguished morphologically from S. invicta and T. melanocephalum. Our study showed that the paving behavior occurs in different subfamilies of ants (i.e., myrmicinae, dolichoderinae, formicinae, and ponerinae). In addition, paving behavior can potentially be used to develop more specific monitoring methods for S. invicta and T. melanocephalum in urban areas in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we tested associative olfactory learning performance of the ant Formica clara in laboratory conditions based on their MaLER responses. Ants were harnessed with the help of a paper-made holder and conditioned in two groups by forward pairing either limonene or eugenol (conditioned stimuli – CS) with a reward (unconditioned stimulus – US). After conditioning, memory tests were performed for each CS 15, 60 and 90 minutes following the conditioning in the absence of US. A further test was performed for each group with the CS of the other group to see if the ants showed an odor generalization. The frequencies of MaLER-positive responses during tests were used as indication of learning performance. Ants learned the association between the CS and US during conditioning for both odors and showed initially significant and gradually decreasing MaLER-positive responses during tests. The results showed that conditioning to the odors was absolute and no generalization was observed. We conclude that associative learning is a universal strategy for ants to adjust their behaviors to environmental changes around them and the MaLER technique is a powerful and easy to apply technique to test learning and memory capacities in ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geogr aphy of paper is par t icul ar l y wel l capt ur ed in a chapt er on Al br echt Dür er (1471-1528), in which Fowl er discusses Dür er 's pr efer ence for bl ue paper dur ing his visit t o Venice and in his commissions for t he Venet o r egion (1505-07). Fr om t heir int r oduct ion in t he fift eent h cent ur y, pr int ing pr esses wer e t he cheapest, most effect ive way of pr oducing a l ar ge number of copies of t he same document and wer e onl y oust ed - in t er ms of simpl icit y and cost - by t he invent ion of cycl ost yl e st encil dupl icat or s in t he 1880s. In t he absence of copyr ight, it was al most impossibl e t o make a l iving as a wr it er, since pr ofit s accr ued most l y t o t he publ isher s, who al l t oo fr equent l y suffer ed fr om pir at e r epr int s, whil e t he best r ewar d an aut hor coul d hope for was a gener ous pr esent fr om a dedicat ee. Al beit bur densome, al so due t o t he accompanying par apher nal ia of l ead t ype, which was never l ight nor easy t o shift, t heir ut il it y meant t hat pr esses wer e oft en on t he move, which for ms t he subject of t he pr esent book (t he al t er nat ive, mor e evocat ive, t it l e - La stampa è mobile - unfor t unat el y had al r eady been t aken (p. 31)). [Extracted from the article]

The ant colony optimization (ACO) is inspired by the behavior of real ants, and as a bioinspired method, its underlying computation is massively parallel by definition. This paper shows re-engineering strategies to migrate the ACO algorithm applied to the Traveling Salesman Problem to modern Intel-based multi- and many-core architectures in a step-by-step methodology. The paper provides detailed guidelines on how to optimize the algorithm for the intra-node (thread and vector) parallelization, showing the performance scalability along with the number of cores on different Intel architectures, reporting up to 5.5x speedup factor between the Intel Xeon Phi Knights Landing and Intel Xeon v2. Moreover, parallel efficiency is provided for all targeted architectures, finding that core load imbalance, memory bandwidth limitations, and NUMA effects on data placement are some of the key factors limiting performance. Finally, a distributed implementation is also presented, reaching up to 2.96x speedup factor when running the code on 3 nodes over the single-node counterpart version. In the latter case, the parallel efficiency is affected by the synchronization frequency, which also affects the quality of the solution found by the distributed implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ant feeding interactions (i.e., trophallaxis events) are thought to regulate the flow of nutrients and disease within a colony. Consequently, there is great interest in learning which environmental and behavioral factors drive ant trophallaxis. In this paper, we analyze ant trophallaxis behavior in a colony of 73 carpenter ants, observed at 1-s intervals over a period of 4 h. The data represent repeated observations from a dynamic contact network; however, traditional statistical analyses of network models are ill-suited for data observed at such high temporal resolution. We present a model for high-resolution longitudinal network data, where the network is assumed to be a time inhomogeneous, continuous-time Markov chain, with transition rates modeled as a function of time-varying individual and pairwise biological covariates. In particular, the high temporal resolution of the data leads to a tractable likelihood function, and likelihood-based inference procedures are utilized to explain which biological factors drive contact. Our results reveal how differences in ant social castes and individual behaviors, such as ant speed and activity levels, influence patterns of ant trophallaxis in the colony. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a multi-colony ant optimization based on pheromone fusion mechanism of cooperative game (CGMACO) to balance the convergence speed and diversity of the algorithm. Firstly, the heterogeneous multi-colony is composed of ant colony system (ACS) and Max–Min ant system (MMAS), and these two classical colonies coordinate together to improve the solution quality. Secondly, the cooperative game model determines which sub-colonies can interact with each other based on evaluating each union's payoff, while the pheromone fusion mechanism decides what information can exchange by regulating the pheromone matrix of each subpopulation. Those two methods can greatly diversify the solution of algorithm. In addition, the information entropy is also introduced to control the interaction frequency, which enhances the adaptability of the algorithm. Finally, the experimental results of the large-scale TSP instances show that the improved algorithm can improve the accuracy of the solution without affecting the convergence speed and better than the existing intelligent algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Search engines are a dominant part of our everyday activities and lives. These tools support decision-making, play a crucial role in constructing knowledge, and have a significant impact on our individual and social behaviour. The paper is aimed at the search engine bias problem as one of the important ethical issues associated with search technology algorithmic design and development. Design/Methodology/Approach - Conceptual analytical method and critical approach are applied to a problem of search engine bias. Based on analysis, typology of specific problems and solutions are summarized and characterized. ANT (actor-network theory) (Latour, 2005) was used to introduce model consisting of search engine bias problem actors present in a complex bidirectional relations. Results - The focus of this conceptual article is mainly on search engine bias in connection with manipulation techniques such as SEO (search engine optimization) methods and paid results. Problems of Google as a gatekeeper, personalization, and biased algorithmic design are also further analysed in more detail. As a result of the analysis, possible solutions to the search engine bias problem are categorized and discussed. Originality/Value - This work provides new insights into search engine bias problem in the context of recent technological development and trends. The current methods, principles, and frameworks as a solution to the ethical issues of search engine technology are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ant colony optimization has insufficient convergence and tends to fall into the local optima when solving the traveling salesman problem. This paper proposes a co-evolutionary multi-colony ant colony optimization (MCGACO) to overcome this deficiency and applies it to the Robot Path Planning. First, a dynamic grouping cooperation algorithm, combined with Ant Colony System and Max-Min Ant System, is introduced to form a heterogeneous multi-population structure. Each population co-evolves and complements each other to improve the overall optimization performance. Second, an adaptive guidance mechanism is proposed to accelerate convergence speed. The mechanism includes two parts: One is a dynamic evaluation network, which is used to evaluate and divide all solutions by the evaluation function. The other is a positive-negative incentive strategy, which can enhance the guiding role of solutions with higher evaluation value. Besides, to jump out of the local optima, an inter-specific co-evolution mechanism based on the game model is proposed. By dynamically determining the optimal communication combination, the diversity among populations can be well balanced. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate that MCGACO outperforms in terms of solution accuracy and convergence. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithm is also feasible for application in Robot Path Planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method to assess the state of convergence of Ant Colony Optimization algorithms (ACO) using network science metrics. ACO is a computational intelligence technique inspired by the behavior of ants in nature, and it is commonly used to solve combinatorial optimization problems. In the ACO, artificial ants seek for solutions to the tackled problem, transversing the graph that represents the combinatorial problem. For each displacement, the ants deposit pheromone on the edges which they passed. The ants use the pheromone for indirect communication, and the amount of pheromone weighs the intensity of interaction between the ants. The graph of pheromones forms a network that evolves along the iterations. Network Science allows studying the structure and the dynamics of networks. This area of study provides metrics used to extract global information from networks in a particular moment. This paper aims to show that two network science metrics, the Clustering coefficient, and the Assortativity, can be adapted and used to assess the pheromone graph and extract information to identify the convergence state of the ACO. We analyze the convergence of the four variations of the ACO in the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Based on the obtained results, we demonstrate that it is possible to evaluate the convergence of the ACO for the TSP based on the proposed metrics, especially the adapted clustering coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the normalization of the epidemic, contactless delivery is becoming one of the most concerned research areas. In the severe epidemic environment, due to the frequent encounter of bayonet temperature measurement, road closure, and other factors, the real-time change frequency of each traffic information is high. In order to improve the efficiency of contactless distribution and enhance user satisfaction, this paper proposes a contactless distribution path optimization algorithm based on improved ant colony algorithm. First of all, the possible traffic factors in the epidemic environment were analyzed, and the cost of each link in the distribution process was modeled. Then, the customer satisfaction is analyzed according to the customer service time window and transformed into a cost model. Finally, the total delivery cost and user satisfaction cost were taken as the optimization objectives, and a new pheromone updating method was adopted and the traditional ant colony algorithm was improved. In the experiment, the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm is verified through the simulation optimization and comparative analysis of an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) reconnaissance task allocation problem is an important research field, which is significant for both military and civilian applications. This problem has often been considered as a multiple traveling salesman problem where the targets are considered as points. In this paper, we present a novel mathematical model that classifies heterogeneous targets as point targets, line targets and area targets to improve the fidelity of the model. It is a complex combinatorial optimization problem, for which we can hardly get an optimal solution as the scale of the problem expands. A new heuristic algorithm called grouping ant colony optimization algorithm is proposed for this new model. Compared with traditional ant colony algorithm, pheromone is divided into membership pheromone and sequence pheromone corresponding to grouping and permutation characteristics of the model, respectively. Also, negative feedback mechanism is introduced to accelerate convergence speed of the algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate that the new algorithm can consider comprehensively the performance of different UAVs and the characteristic of heterogeneous targets. It outperforms existing methods reported in the literature in terms of optimality of the result, and the advantage gets more obvious with the scale of reconnaissance task allocation problem expanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phoretic copulation is a type of reproductive strategy in which a winged male carries a wingless female during mating through a complex system of genital-locking structures present in both sexes. During flight, the female is suspended from the genitalia of the male and stays in that position during much of the copulation. This kind of mating allows, in addition to the transfer of gametes, the dispersal of females in the environment. Phoretic copulation evolved several times within Hymenoptera, but in groups not closely related phylogenetically and through morphological changes specific to each group. This paper presents a review of phoretic mating in the clade Aculeata, Hymenoptera, especially considering the biomechanical aspects that allow this mating strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf-cutting ants are insects of great economic importance which cause economic losses in numerous crops. Compounds that modulate behaviour, and among these natural repellents, show promise in integrated pest management strategies. Tea tree oil has been found to be repellent to certain insect pests, so this study aimed at identifying the effect of tea tree on foraging behaviour in Acromyrmex spp. ants in laboratory as well as in field trials. In laboratory bioassays, a repellent dose response effect of tea tree oil was observed, where concentrations of 0.0001 to 0.1% tea tree did not affect ant behaviour, but concentrations of 1 and 10% repelled ants. In the laboratory, the repellent effect of tea tree was lost after four days and its effect on ant behaviour was evident only at very short distances (less than 1 cm). In the field, ants avoided walking through filter papers treated with tea tree at 1% placed on the foraging trails, and food resources surrounded by tea tree at 1% were not collected. Tea tree is a potent short term leaf-cutting ant repellent and attractive food sources could be protected from leaf-cutting ants attack by this oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have long attempted to situate the ant-episode from the twelfth-century German poem Reinhart Fuchs in a broad folklore framework. Concerned with conventional matters such as origin, function and transmission, they have broken up this episode into different motifs and referenced folktales and legends from widely separate times and places. The aim of this paper is to reassess these earlier philological-folklore approaches. I will rely on a multi-source method and examine, in comparative terms, three interconnected semantic narrative units: the enmity between ants and lions; the lion's sickness triggered by the revenge of the ant, which crawls into the lion's head; and the stratagem for expelling the head-insect with a sweating cure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreground target detection algorithm (FTDA) is a fundamental preprocessing step in computer vision and video processing. A universal background subtraction algorithm for video sequences (ViBe) is a fast, simple, efficient and with optimal sample attenuation FTDA based on background modeling. However, the traditional ViBe has three limitations: (1) the noise problem under dynamic background; (2) the ghost problem; and (3) the target adhesion problem. In order to solve the three problems above, ant colony clustering is introduced and Ant_ViBe is proposed in this paper to improve the background modeling mechanism of the traditional ViBe, from the aspects of initial sample modeling, pheromone and ant colony update mechanism, and foreground segmentation criterion. Experimental results show that the Ant_ViBe greatly improved the noise resistance under dynamic background, eased the ghost and targets adhesion problem, and surpassed the typical algorithms and their fusion algorithms in most evaluation indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the effect of logistics distribution path optimization design, this paper combines the improved ant colony algorithm to study the logistics distribution path design and optimization. The key point of the fusion of genetic algorithm and improved ant colony algorithm is that the path optimal solution is transformed into the initial distribution of pheromone, and the transformed model rules affect the final algorithm effect. In addition, the mutation operator forms new individuals by changing the gene values of certain positions on the individual chromosomes to expand the search space to areas that may not be close to the current population, so that the genetic algorithm has local random search capabilities and accelerates the convergence to the optimal solution. Through the analysis, it can be known that the logistics distribution route optimization design and optimization method based on the improved ant colony algorithm proposed in this paper has good results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a variant of Ant Colony Optimization, the EigenAnt algorithm finds the shortest path between a source node and a destination node based on negative feedback in the form of selective pheromone removal that occurs only on the path which is actually chosen for each trip. EigenAnt algorithm also could change quickly to reflect to the dynamic variety of initial pheromone concentrations and path length etc. However, in general, the solution of EigenAnt algorithm is not always convergent. In this paper, we propose an improved EigenAnt (iEigenAnt) algorithm in terms of both negative and positive feedback; that is, selective pheromone updates are decided by smart ants or stupid ones, which depends whether the amount of the pheromone at the selected path increases or not. The system modelled by our algorithm has a unique equilibrium as the shortest path. Besides, using mathematical analysis, we demonstrate that the equilibrium is global asymptotically stable, i.e., stable and convergent. Finally, we also implement the iEigenAnt algorithm under four different cases and apply it on travelling salesman problem problem, the simulation result shows that our iEigenAnt algorithm is faster convergent and more effective compared to the original EigenAnt algorithm, and some combinatorial optimisation problems can be effectively solved based on our iEigenAnt algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new mathematical model that is based on centred loops to reconstruct the “Systematic Search” behaviour of Cataglyphis desert ants. The notable advantage of this model is the combination of simplicity, efficiency and performance. All model input is kept to a minimum, using only parameters that previous research has shown to be available to the animals at all times: distance from the origin, direction of the last step and home vector. Outbound and inbound search paths are being combined into loops that return to the origin, sampling this area more intensely. A stochastic element is added by random perturbations during the next step, mimicking unsystematic errors during the process of path integration and yielding the typical search patterns observed in Cataglyphis desert ants. The model output is compared to runs observed in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The symmetry breaking observed in nature is fascinating. This symmetry breaking is observed in both human crowds and ant colonies. In such cases, when escaping from a closed space with two symmetrically located exits, one exit is used more often than the other. Group size and density have been reported as having no significant impact on symmetry breaking, and the alignment rule has been used to model symmetry breaking. Density usually plays important roles in collective behavior. However, density is not well-studied in symmetry breaking, which forms the major basis of this paper. The experiment described in this paper on an ant colony displays an increase then decrease of symmetry breaking versus ant density. This result suggests that a Vicsek-like model with an alignment rule may not be the correct model for escaping ants. Based on biological facts that ants use pheromones to communicate, rather than seeing how other individuals move, we propose a simple yet effective alarm pheromone model. The model results agree well with the experimental outcomes. As a measure, this paper redefines symmetry breaking as the collective asymmetry by deducing the random fluctuations. This research indicates that ants deposit and respond to the alarm pheromone, and the accumulation of this biased information sharing leads to symmetry breaking, which suggests true fundamental rules of collective escape behavior in ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we redescribe Gaeolaelaps deinos (Zeman 1982) based on morphological characters of female and male specimens collected from nests of Lasius sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Khuzestan and Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Provinces, Iran, and based on its holotype photos. We also present an identification key for Gaeolaelaps aculeifer-like species group from Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence has shown that the energy use of ant colonies increases sublinearly with colony size so that large colonies consume less per capita energy than small colonies. It has been postulated that social environment (e.g., in the presence of queen and brood) is critical for the sublinear group energetics, and a few studies of ant workers isolated from queens and brood observed linear relationships between group energetics and size. In this paper,we hypothesize that the sublinear energetics arise from the heterogeneity of activity in ant groups, that is, large groups have relatively more inactive members than small groups. We further hypothesize that the energy use of ant worker groups that are allowed to move freely increases more slowly than the group size even if they are isolated from queen and brood. Previous studies only provided indirect evidence for these hypotheses due to technical difficulties. In this study, we applied the automated behavioral monitoring and respirometry simultaneously on isolated worker groups for long time periods, and analyzed the image with the state-of-the-art algorithms. Our results show that when activity was not confined, large groups had lower per capita energy use, a lower percentage of active members, and lower average walking speed than small groups; while locomotion was confined, however, the per capita energy use was a constant regardless of the group size. The quantitative analysis shows a direct link between variation in group energy use and the activity level of ant workers when isolated from queen and brood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High dilutions may have different biological effects due to the dynamization method and the dilution order used. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the foraging activity of the leafcutter ant Acromyrmex laticeps subjected to high dilution preparations originating from grinding worker ants and developing dilutions at the following dynamizations: 6, 12, and 30 CH (centesimal Hahnemannian dilution order), 5 LM (fifty millesimal Hahnemannian dilution order) and 35 K (Korsakovian dilution order). The preparations were applied daily for 10 days by spraying them on moving ants on tracks close to the anthill. The evaluations included counting the number of ants transporting vegetable fragments on the tracks before each application, after application, and 20 and 30 days after the first application. The high dilution preparations for the 6 and 30 CH and 35 K treatments reduced the foraging activity of the leafcutter ant A. laticeps after 10 applications. The 30 CH treatment showed a higher reduction in the foraging activity of A. laticeps anthills. Prolonged reduction of the foraging activity of A. laticeps anthills was observed 20 days after the first application with the 35 K and 30 CH treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), inspired by the foraging behavior of real ants, is a widely applied bionic algorithm. Driven by the requirements of applications and the advances of computing technologies, ACO has been studied extensively, and the parallelism of ACO becomes an important research area. In this paper, we analyze the key factors that affect the performance of parallel ACO, based on which we propose a randomly matched parallel ant colony optimization (RMACO) using MPI. In RMACO, we design a new interconnection communication topology based on which the processors communicate with each other using a randomly matched method, and propose a non-fixed exchange cycle as well. All of these ensure the quality of the solution found by ACO and reduce the execution time. The experimental results show that RMACO has better efficiency compared with existing typical parallel ACO approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that magnetic fields affect ants behavior. It has been shown that Solenopsis ants are sensitive to magnetic fields but there is no experimental evidence for magnetic orientation. In this paper experiments were done to verify the magnetic orientation of Solenopsis sp. ants. The spontaneous orientation of ants in a circular arena was studied in two different magnetic conditions: in the natural geomagnetic field and under an altered magnetic field, with the horizontal geomagnetic axis shifted in 90 º. Our results show that ants consistently change their orientation direction when the magnetic field was altered. Axial circular statistics analysis showed that, in the absence of other cues, ants orient spontaneously to the horizontal geomagnetic field axis. The present paper shows for the first time magnetic orientation in Solenopsis sp. ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs about a research paper issued by A. Kaveh and P. Sharafi. The research paper focuses ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm study models that are based on ant systems (AS) for the solving the problems of bandwidth reduction. The proposed ACO algorithm includes a graph theoretical algorithm for matrix bandwidth minimization problem (MBMP) through the use of route tree based heuristic for ants.

This paper presents a new method to improve the classification performance for remote-sensing applications based on swarm intelligence. Traditional statistical classifiers have limitations in solving complex classification problems because of their strict assumptions. For example, data correlation between bands of remote-sensing imagery has caused problems in generating satisfactory classification using statistical methods. In this paper, ant colony optimization (ACO), based upon swarm intelligence, is used to improve the classification performance. Due to the positive feedback mechanism, ACO takes into account the correlation between attribute variables, thus avoiding issues related to band correlation. A discretization technique is incorporated in this ACO method so that classification rules can be induced from large data sets of remote-sensing images. Experiments of this ACO algorithm in the Guangzhou area reveal that it yields simpler rule sets and better accuracy than the See 5.0 decision tree method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Many ants use pheromone trails to organize collective foraging. This study investigated the rate at which a well-established Pharaoh's ant, Monomorium pharaonis (L.), trail breaks down on two substrates (polycarbonate plastic, newspaper). Workers were allowed to feed on sucrose solution from a feeder 30 cm from the nest. Between the nest and the feeder, the trail had a Y-shaped bifurcation. Initially, while recruiting to and exploiting the feeder, workers could only deposit pheromone on the branch leading to the feeder. Once the trail was established (by approximately 60 ants per min for 20 min), the ants were not allowed to reinforce the trail and were given a choice between the marked and unmarked branches. The numbers of ants choosing each branch were counted for 30 min. Initially, most went to the side on which pheromone had been deposited (80% and 70% on the plastic and paper substrates, respectively). However, this decayed to 50% within 25 min for plastic and 8 min for paper. From these data, the half-life times of the pheromone are estimated as approximately 9 min and 3 min on plastic and paper, respectively. The results show that, for M. pharaonis , trail decay is rapid and is affected strongly by trail substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe the diversity of the Malagasy Nesomyrmex brevicornis-group as the final installment of series describing the complete Malagasy Nesomyrmex fauna. In the current paper introduce the N. brevicornis-group, a newly outlined species group. We split this group from one of the four former groups, N. madecassus-group (sensu Csősz and Fisher 2015). The relatively small number of individuals available within the N. brevicornis-group relative to the large number of OTUs hampers the use of sophisticated statistical techniques to evaluate the morphological data. Instead, we assess the diversity of the N. brevicornis-group via a conventional morphology-based approach relying upon non-numeric characters (shape, sculpture, color etc.) recorded by simple eye inspection. Morphometric data are used as secondary data to confirm the most probable boundaries between species, but without employing statistical analyses. We rejected prior species hypotheses imposed by the primary approach if a non-overlapping range of a single index calculated from continuous numeric traits was found between two hypothesized species. Our methods render every species in this revisionary work separable via both salient features and morphometric traits. Our approach reveals the existence of nine morphologically distinct species, Nesomyrmex brevicornis sp. n., N. brunneus sp. n., N. cingulatus sp. n., N. edentates sp. n., N. flavigaster sp. n., N. longiceps sp. n., N. minutus sp. n., N. punctaticeps sp. n., and N. sellaris sp. n.. Geographic maps showing the distribution of each species are provided, along with an updated key to workers of Malagasy Nesomyrmex species groups that includes the newly outlined N. brevicornis-group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of ants as elements in cave ecology has been mostly unrecognized. A global list of ant species recorded from caves, compiled from a review of existing literature, is presented. This paper also reviews what is currently known about ants occurring in Arizona (USA) caves. The diversity and distribution represented in these records suggests ants are relatively common cave visitors (trogloxenes). A general utilization of caves by ants within both temperate and tropical latitudes may be inferred from this combined evidence. Observations of ant behavior in Arizona caves demonstrate a low level and sporadic, but persistent, use of these habitats and their contained resources by individual ant colonies. Documentation of Neivamyrmex sp. preying on cave-inhabiting arthropods is reported here for the first time. Observations of hypogeic army ants in caves suggests they may not penetrate to great vertical depth in search of prey, but can be persistent occupants in relatively shallow, horizontal sections of caves where they may prey on endemic cave animals. First cave records for ten ant species are reported from Arizona caves. These include two species of Neivamyrmex (N. nigrescens Cresson and Neivamyrmex sp.; Formicidae: Dorylinae), four myrmicines (Pheidole portalensis Wilson, Pheidole cf. porcula Wheeler, Solenopsis aurea Wheeler and Stenamma sp. Westwood), one dolichoderine (Forelius keiferi Wheeler) and three formicines (Lasius arizonicus Wheeler, L. sitiens Wilson, and Camponotus sp. Mayr). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that danger information can be transmitted by ants through relatively small distances, provoking either a state of alarm when they move away from potentially dangerous stimulus, or charge toward it aggressively. There is almost no knowledge if danger information can be transmitted along large distances. In this paper, we abduct leaf cutting ants of the species Atta insularis while they forage in their natural environment at a certain point of the foraging line, so ants make a 'U' turn to escape from the danger zone and go back to the nest. Our results strongly suggest that those ants do not transmit 'danger information' to other nestmates marching towards the abduction area. The individualistic behavior of the ants returning from the danger zone results in a depression of the foraging activity due to the systematic sacrifice of non-informed individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Saharan silver ant Cataglyphis bombycina is one of the terrestrial living organisms best adapted to tolerate high temperatures. It has recently been shown that the hairs covering the ant’s dorsal body part are responsible for its silvery appearance. The hairs have a triangular cross-section with two corrugated surfaces allowing a high optical reflection in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) range of the spectrum while maximizing heat emissivity in the mid-infrared (MIR). Those two effects account for remarkable thermoregulatory properties, enabling the ant to maintain a lower thermal steady state and to cope with the high temperature of its natural habitat. In this paper, we further investigate how geometrical optical and high reflection properties account for the bright silver color of C. bombycina. Using optical ray-tracing models and attenuated total reflection (ATR) experiments, we show that, for a large range of incidence angles, total internal reflection (TIR) conditions are satisfied on the basal face of each hair for light entering and exiting through its upper faces. The reflection properties of the hairs are further enhanced by the presence of the corrugated surface, giving them an almost total specular reflectance for most incidence angles. We also show that hairs provide an almost 10-fold increase in light reflection, and we confirm experimentally that they are responsible for a lower internal body temperature under incident sunlight. Overall, this study improves our understanding of the optical mechanisms responsible for the silver color of C. bombycina and the remarkable thermoregulatory properties of the hair coat covering the ant’s body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]