Recruitment trail
- Pronunciation
- /ri-KROOT-muhnt treyl/
- Category
- Behavior
- Plural
- Recruitment trails
Definition
A pheromone trail laid down by a scout worker to attract and guide other workers to a food source.
Etymology
From the Latin 'recrutare', meaning 'to gather' or 'to reinforce', and 'trail', referring to the path marked by pheromones.
Example
The fire ant scout laid down a recruitment trail of pheromones to lead its nestmates to an abundant food source.
Related Terms
- Pheromone
- Scout worker
- Ant behavior
Usage Notes
Recruitment trails are typically more effective than exploratory trails in attracting and guiding workers to food sources.