Study
Are ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) capable of self recognition?
Cammaerts, Marie-Claire; Cammaerts, Roger
Journal of Science, 2015
Ants were marked with a small blue dot on the head and given access to a mirror, and their self-directed behaviour was recorded.
- Studied in
- Myrmica sabuleti, Myrmica ruginodis
- Sample size
- small numbers of individually tested ants
The authors reported that marked ants touched the mark more often when a mirror was present.
What it means
The authors' reading, and ours. Where they differ, that difference is the point.
How the authors put it
The authors suggested ants may possess a form of self-recognition.
How NatureHQ reads it
This paper circulates widely as "ants pass the mirror test" and it does not support that. It appeared in a venue with an unclear peer-review process, used very small samples, and has not been independently replicated. NatureHQ records it because a reader who has met the claim deserves to know where it comes from and why specialists do not accept it — not because it is evidence for anything.
- Publication venue with unclear or absent peer review.
- Very small samples and subjective behavioural scoring.
- No independent replication.
- Mark-directed behaviour in an insect has plausible non-cognitive explanations, including simple irritation.
What this study is used for on NatureHQ
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NatureHQ summarises research in its own words and does not reproduce published text. Reviewed 2026-08-09.