1970] 
Holldobler & Wilson — Recruitment Trails 
387 
the nest. At this time its locomotory behavior changed markedly. 
The abdomen was bent downward and the tip dragged over the 
ground with the sting fully extruded (Fig. 2). Almost invariably 
within seconds after the ant had entered the nest, a group of 10-15 
nestmates ran out and took the precise course of the scouting ant 
over the bridge to the foraging arena (Fig. 3). It is noteworthy 
that the recruited group often included the big soldier caste, because 
this caste is seldom seen making individual foraging excursions. 
Before the first recruited group arrived at the food source, the 
original recruiting ant usually also returned to the food in the 
arena, following its own trail and reinforcing it with the extruded 
sting. At this time it was closely followed by other ants (Fig. 3). 
After a few more minutes a number of ants finally assembled 
around the prey (Fig. 4). Small dissected pieces were then carried 
Fig. 2. Above: A foraging Pogonomyrmex badius worker passes over 
the bridge to the arena. During this searching phase the ant only occasion- 
ally touches the surface with the tip of its abdomen. Belov:: After dis- 
covering a source of food, the scouting ant returns to the nest, dragging 
the tip of the abdomen over the surface with sting extruded. 
