trail pheromone
Quick Summary
Trail pheromones are chemical signals secreted by organisms, commonly ants, to mark a path to a food source. These pheromones are volatile compounds that evaporate over time, so returning foragers must reinforce the trail for it to persist. This allows other members of the colony to follow the scent to the food. Unlike alarm pheromones, trail pheromones need to last longer to be effective. However, in extremely hot environments like the Sahara Desert, volatile pheromone trails are unreliable due to rapid evaporation.123
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