Data from: Characterization of recruitment through tandem running in an Indian ant

Tandem running is a primitive recruitment method employed by many ant genera. Current study characterizes this behaviour during the recruitment of colony mates to a new nest in an Indian ant Diacamma indicum. Tandem leaders’ who have knowledge of the new nest lead a single follower at a time, to the destination by maintaining physical contact. In order to characterized tandem running we captured and analyzed 621 invitations, 217 paths and 226 termination events. Remarkably not a single colony member was lost. While invitations were stereotypic behaviour, termination was not. Analysis of speed revealed that the average transport speed was 4.2 cm/s. Coupled adult-brood transport was slower than other transports but was more efficient than individual trips. Comparing tandem running with other popular recruitment methods allows us to postulate that even though tandem running is primitive it is probably just another means to achieve the same end.