Factors that Effect Red Wood Ant Movements

1. Factors that Effect Red Wood Ant Movements J. Kohl, A. Schmitt, J. Bruning, M. Tecle, and R. BarberUniversity High School, Greeley, CO Four separate experiments were performed to determine what could attract ants and what would deter them from a target location. Different techniques were studied on how to effect ant movements in response to various stimulants and deterrents. These simple procedures were then made into more complex projects that involved problems in the fields of biology, engineering, chemistry, and mathematical modeling for outcome prediction. Four “junior fellows” developed an expertise in one of the four fields listed above and provided leadership to the teams performing the experiments. Question: Will smoke deter wood ants from a known attractant? Method of Testing: A container was used with holes in the side and sugar water on the far end. Fans were used to blow on tissues with drops of liquid smoke to measure the effect it has on the ants. Effects of Smoke Question: How will an ant respond when exposed to extreme temperatures, compared to room temperature? Method of Testing: Ants were placed in the middle of two connected Petri dishes. The ants were timed for 2 minutes and recorded each time one passed over to the opposite side. There were 3 trials: 1st both room temperature, 2nd hot and room temperature, 3rd cold and hot. Effects of Temperature Results:After the data was collected, we found that the ants preferred the room temperature side instead of the extreme temperatures. Results: From the data gathered, we can conclude that by increasing liquid smoke, the time it took the ants to reach their goal increased Question: How do we get ants to go where we want? What are the ants drawn to and what they are detracted from? Method Of Testing: In a linked Petri dish 6 trials were conducted. In different trials a deterrent or an attractant was placed on each side. For each trial the movement of the ants was measured for 2 minutes in 30 second intervals. Side A contains an apple, side B contains a deterrent. Effects of Sound Effects of Chemicals Apple Cat Litter Ethyl Alcohol LiquidSmoke Question: The response of the average ant to a sound source; in this case music was tested. We believe it to act as a stimulus. Method of Testing: We’ve set up a simple apparatus for recording the movement of the ants during the one minute testing period, repeated with and without the stimulus. Results: From the data collected we were able to conclude that introducing sound to the ant’s environment had a direct impact on their movement pattern, in this case it was an attractant. Results:We concluded that our ants didn’t like ethyl alcohol or liquid smoke. The cat litter and the apple had no effect.

3. Factors that Effect Red Wood Ant Movements J. Kohl, A. Schmitt, J. Bruning, M. Tecle, and R. BarberUniversity High School, Greeley, CO Four separate experiments were performed to determine what could attract ants and what would deter them from a target location. Different techniques were studied on how to effect ant movements in response to various stimulants and deterrents. These simple procedures were then made into more complex projects that involved problems in the fields of biology, engineering, chemistry, and mathematical modeling for outcome prediction. Four “junior fellows” developed an expertise in one of the four fields listed above and provided leadership to the teams performing the experiments. Question: Will smoke deter wood ants from a known attractant? Method of Testing: A container was used with holes in the side and sugar water on the far end. Fans were used to blow on tissues with drops of liquid smoke to measure the effect it has on the ants. Effects of Smoke Question: How will an ant respond when exposed to extreme temperatures, compared to room temperature? Method of Testing: Ants were placed in the middle of two connected Petri dishes. The ants were timed for 2 minutes and recorded each time one passed over to the opposite side. There were 3 trials: 1st both room temperature, 2nd hot and room temperature, 3rd cold and hot. Effects of Temperature Results:After the data was collected, we found that the ants preferred the room temperature side instead of the extreme temperatures. Results: From the data gathered, we can conclude that by increasing liquid smoke, the time it took the ants to reach their goal increased Question: How do we get ants to go where we want? What are the ants drawn to and what they are detracted from? Method Of Testing: In a linked Petri dish 6 trials were conducted. In different trials a deterrent or an attractant was placed on each side. For each trial the movement of the ants was measured for 2 minutes in 30 second intervals. Side A contains an apple, side B contains a deterrent. Effects of Sound Effects of Chemicals Apple Cat Litter Ethyl Alcohol LiquidSmoke Question: The response of the average ant to a sound source; in this case music was tested. We believe it to act as a stimulus. Method of Testing: We’ve set up a simple apparatus for recording the movement of the ants during the one minute testing period, repeated with and without the stimulus. Results: From the data collected we were able to conclude that introducing sound to the ant’s environment had a direct impact on their movement pattern, in this case it was an attractant. Results:We concluded that our ants didn’t like ethyl alcohol or liquid smoke. The cat litter and the apple had no effect.

5. Factors that Effect Red Wood Ant Movements J. Kohl, A. Schmitt, J. Bruning, M. Tecle, and R. BarberUniversity High School, Greeley, CO Four separate experiments were performed to determine what could attract ants and what would deter them from a target location. Different techniques were studied on how to effect ant movements in response to various stimulants and deterrents. These simple procedures were then made into more complex projects that involved problems in the fields of biology, engineering, chemistry, and mathematical modeling for outcome prediction. Four “junior fellows” developed an expertise in one of the four fields listed above and provided leadership to the teams performing the experiments. Question: Will smoke deter wood ants from a known attractant? Method of Testing: A container was used with holes in the side and sugar water on the far end. Fans were used to blow on tissues with drops of liquid smoke to measure the effect it has on the ants. Effects of Smoke Question: How will an ant respond when exposed to extreme temperatures, compared to room temperature? Method of Testing: Ants were placed in the middle of two connected Petri dishes. The ants were timed for 2 minutes and recorded each time one passed over to the opposite side. There were 3 trials: 1st both room temperature, 2nd hot and room temperature, 3rd cold and hot. Effects of Temperature Results:After the data was collected, we found that the ants preferred the room temperature side instead of the extreme temperatures. Results: From the data gathered, we can conclude that by increasing liquid smoke, the time it took the ants to reach their goal increased Question: How do we get ants to go where we want? What are the ants drawn to and what they are detracted from? Method Of Testing: In a linked Petri dish 6 trials were conducted. In different trials a deterrent or an attractant was placed on each side. For each trial the movement of the ants was measured for 2 minutes in 30 second intervals. Side A contains an apple, side B contains a deterrent. Effects of Sound Effects of Chemicals Apple Cat Litter Ethyl Alcohol LiquidSmoke Question: The response of the average ant to a sound source; in this case music was tested. We believe it to act as a stimulus. Method of Testing: We’ve set up a simple apparatus for recording the movement of the ants during the one minute testing period, repeated with and without the stimulus. Results: From the data collected we were able to conclude that introducing sound to the ant’s environment had a direct impact on their movement pattern, in this case it was an attractant. Results:We concluded that our ants didn’t like ethyl alcohol or liquid smoke. The cat litter and the apple had no effect.

7. Factors that Effect Red Wood Ant Movements J. Kohl, A. Schmitt, J. Bruning, M. Tecle, and R. BarberUniversity High School, Greeley, CO Four separate experiments were performed to determine what could attract ants and what would deter them from a target location. Different techniques were studied on how to effect ant movements in response to various stimulants and deterrents. These simple procedures were then made into more complex projects that involved problems in the fields of biology, engineering, chemistry, and mathematical modeling for outcome prediction. Four “junior fellows” developed an expertise in one of the four fields listed above and provided leadership to the teams performing the experiments. Question: Will smoke deter wood ants from a known attractant? Method of Testing: A container was used with holes in the side and sugar water on the far end. Fans were used to blow on tissues with drops of liquid smoke to measure the effect it has on the ants. Effects of Smoke Question: How will an ant respond when exposed to extreme temperatures, compared to room temperature? Method of Testing: Ants were placed in the middle of two connected Petri dishes. The ants were timed for 2 minutes and recorded each time one passed over to the opposite side. There were 3 trials: 1st both room temperature, 2nd hot and room temperature, 3rd cold and hot. Effects of Temperature Results:After the data was collected, we found that the ants preferred the room temperature side instead of the extreme temperatures. Results: From the data gathered, we can conclude that by increasing liquid smoke, the time it took the ants to reach their goal increased Question: How do we get ants to go where we want? What are the ants drawn to and what they are detracted from? Method Of Testing: In a linked Petri dish 6 trials were conducted. In different trials a deterrent or an attractant was placed on each side. For each trial the movement of the ants was measured for 2 minutes in 30 second intervals. Side A contains an apple, side B contains a deterrent. Effects of Sound Effects of Chemicals Apple Cat Litter Ethyl Alcohol LiquidSmoke Question: The response of the average ant to a sound source; in this case music was tested. We believe it to act as a stimulus. Method of Testing: We’ve set up a simple apparatus for recording the movement of the ants during the one minute testing period, repeated with and without the stimulus. Results: From the data collected we were able to conclude that introducing sound to the ant’s environment had a direct impact on their movement pattern, in this case it was an attractant. Results:We concluded that our ants didn’t like ethyl alcohol or liquid smoke. The cat litter and the apple had no effect.

9. Factors that Effect Red Wood Ant Movements J. Kohl, A. Schmitt, J. Bruning, M. Tecle, and R. BarberUniversity High School, Greeley, CO Four separate experiments were performed to determine what could attract ants and what would deter them from a target location. Different techniques were studied on how to effect ant movements in response to various stimulants and deterrents. These simple procedures were then made into more complex projects that involved problems in the fields of biology, engineering, chemistry, and mathematical modeling for outcome prediction. Four “junior fellows” developed an expertise in one of the four fields listed above and provided leadership to the teams performing the experiments. Question: Will smoke deter wood ants from a known attractant? Method of Testing: A container was used with holes in the side and sugar water on the far end. Fans were used to blow on tissues with drops of liquid smoke to measure the effect it has on the ants. Effects of Smoke Question: How will an ant respond when exposed to extreme temperatures, compared to room temperature? Method of Testing: Ants were placed in the middle of two connected Petri dishes. The ants were timed for 2 minutes and recorded each time one passed over to the opposite side. There were 3 trials: 1st both room temperature, 2nd hot and room temperature, 3rd cold and hot. Effects of Temperature Results:After the data was collected, we found that the ants preferred the room temperature side instead of the extreme temperatures. Results: From the data gathered, we can conclude that by increasing liquid smoke, the time it took the ants to reach their goal increased Question: How do we get ants to go where we want? What are the ants drawn to and what they are detracted from? Method Of Testing: In a linked Petri dish 6 trials were conducted. In different trials a deterrent or an attractant was placed on each side. For each trial the movement of the ants was measured for 2 minutes in 30 second intervals. Side A contains an apple, side B contains a deterrent. Effects of Sound Effects of Chemicals Apple Cat Litter Ethyl Alcohol LiquidSmoke Question: The response of the average ant to a sound source; in this case music was tested. We believe it to act as a stimulus. Method of Testing: We’ve set up a simple apparatus for recording the movement of the ants during the one minute testing period, repeated with and without the stimulus. Results: From the data collected we were able to conclude that introducing sound to the ant’s environment had a direct impact on their movement pattern, in this case it was an attractant. Results:We concluded that our ants didn’t like ethyl alcohol or liquid smoke. The cat litter and the apple had no effect.