Ants are incredible navigators – let’s celebrate their brilliance

When a humpback whale arrived in the seas off Mexico last year, the scientific world sat up in wonder. And with good reason, because the whale – aptly named Frodo – had just finished an 11,000-kilometre journey that began in the Mariana Islands, in the north-western Pacific.

Whales and birds are frequently touted as Earth’s chief navigators. Insects, too, are showcased – often represented by butterflies and bees. Ants, however, are rarely on the lips of those discussing nature’s best pilots. As someone who has researched ant navigation, this is disheartening, particularly when considering the lack of action to address ants’ dwindling numbers compared with that for…