[1] T. albipennis builds simple nests in cracks in rocks, enclosed by walls built from tiny pebbles and grains of sand.

One possible reason for this is that its environment is partly maze-like and consistently turning in one direction is a good way to search and exit mazes without getting lost.

[5] Ants are one of the most successful insects on the planet and there is a long-held view that this is because of the division of labour and the way certain workers specialise in certain tasks.

[6] Research tracking T. albipennis movements found that they move in similar ways both outside and inside the nest, suggesting that workers are principally generalists equipped to do multiple tasks.

The duration of each new ant movement appears to be predetermined to some degree (this is known as motor planning), which may make navigating their complex society easier.

[12] Furthermore, the relative contribution that workers make to this process differs widely among individuals, with certain ants attempting many more tandem runs than others.