The best way to find out the answer to this question is by personally conducting the experiment. In order to carry out this research project you will need a few items. For a more conclusive result it may be advisable, if time permits, to perform this experiment on a daily basis for about a week, therefore the following items would be required each day of the experiment.
- Two shallow identical margarine tub lids or identical empty bottle caps.
- One small piece of cheese (there are many different varieties of cheese, it doesn't particularly matter which type you choose to use. All we're trying to establish is whether ants prefer cheese to sugar, in your next experiment you can try working out whether they prefer Gorgonzola or Camembert).
- One teaspoon of sugar or a sugar cube.
- A note book and a pen
Place the sugar and cheese on their respective labeled lids or inside their labeled bottle caps. Decide on intervals when to check up on the experiment and maintain like clockwork that regime, ideally on an hourly basis if possible. The reason for this is that when conducting tests it is essential to keep the experiment as consistent as you can, holding as many variables constant as possible. This eliminates the possibility of an overlooked factor being the reason why the ants choose one food stuff over the other, for example they could be attracted to different colored lids if you've used different colors, this variable needs to be eliminated by using identical lids.
During the term of the experiment, religiously mark down the time of day that the lids are checked, the amount of ants attracted to each food and any other notable phenomenon. At the end of the week go over your results and draw up the conclusions.
- Two shallow identical margarine tub lids or identical empty bottle caps.
- One small piece of cheese (there are many different varieties of cheese, it doesn't particularly matter which type you choose to use. All we're trying to establish is whether ants prefer cheese to sugar, in your next experiment you can try working out whether they prefer Gorgonzola or Camembert).
- One teaspoon of sugar or a sugar cube.
- A note book and a pen
Place the sugar and cheese on their respective labeled lids or inside their labeled bottle caps. Decide on intervals when to check up on the experiment and maintain like clockwork that regime, ideally on an hourly basis if possible. The reason for this is that when conducting tests it is essential to keep the experiment as consistent as you can, holding as many variables constant as possible. This eliminates the possibility of an overlooked factor being the reason why the ants choose one food stuff over the other, for example they could be attracted to different colored lids if you've used different colors, this variable needs to be eliminated by using identical lids.
During the term of the experiment, religiously mark down the time of day that the lids are checked, the amount of ants attracted to each food and any other notable phenomenon. At the end of the week go over your results and draw up the conclusions.
