Function and generality of sounds emitted by ant larvae

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In the first year, I developed a portable recording video system of high quality to investigate the role of sound communication in ant colonies. Noise sound was intercepted by double-layer transparent plastic boards enclosing a small space where the insects were reared. The space was floored with a plastic paraffin paper connected with a microphone. This apparatus was put in a soundproof box with LED illumination and clear-vision video camera fixed on the box wall with a sound-absorbent sponge. I used it to collect sounds of myrmecophiles (e.g. Nyphanda larvae) and myrmicine ants including leaf-cutting ants Atta spp. which showed a high level of labor division and might be adopting sounds even for bilateral exchange ofinformation, which seemed analogous to our language.