Meeting Abstract
Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) link their bodies together to form structures such as rafts, bivouacs and bridges. Such structures are in danger of being damaged by natural disturbances such as passing water currents. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we investigate self-healing of ant assemblages. We present macro-scale experiments in which we press two ant aggregations together and measure the effect of contact time on the attachment force between the aggregations. We rationalize our results using a mathematical model stating that the rate of creation of new bonds is proportional to the number of ants that have not yet bonded. This rate law is consistent with the construction of rafts and bivouacs, whose growth rate is proportional to the number of ants on the surface of these structures. The present work shows that repair and construction are aspects of the same phenomena and, moreover, that ants can repair the inside of a structure as easily as on their surface. The principles found here may inspire new directions in the engineering of self-healing materials.
