Editing Ant (section)

===Head===
[[File:Bullant head detail.jpg|thumb|[[Bull ant]] showing the powerful [[Mandible (insect mouthpart)|mandibles]] and the relatively large [[compound eye]]s that provide excellent vision]]

An ant's head contains many [[sensory organs]]. Like most insects, ants have [[compound eye]]s made from numerous tiny lenses attached together. Ant eyes are good for acute movement detection, but do not offer a high [[Optical resolution|resolution]] image. They also have three small [[ocellus|ocelli]] (simple eyes) on the top of the head that detect light levels and [[polarization (waves)|polarization]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fent K, Wehner R | title = Oceili: a celestial compass in the desert ant cataglyphis | journal = Science | volume = 228 | issue = 4696 | pages = 192–194 | date = April 1985 | pmid = 17779641 | doi = 10.1126/science.228.4696.192 | s2cid = 33242108 | bibcode = 1985Sci...228..192F }}</ref> Compared to [[vertebrate]]s, ants tend to have blurrier eyesight, particularly in smaller species,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Palavalli-Nettimi R, Narendra A | title = Miniaturisation decreases visual navigational competence in ants | journal = The Journal of Experimental Biology | volume = 221 | issue = Pt 7 | page = jeb177238 | date = April 2018 | pmid = 29487158 | doi = 10.1242/jeb.177238 | doi-access = free }}</ref> and a few [[Subterranea (geography)|subterranean]] taxa are completely [[Blindness|blind]].<ref name=Ward /> However, some ants, such as Australia's [[Myrmecia (ant)|bulldog ant]], have excellent vision and are capable of discriminating the distance and size of objects moving nearly a [[Metre|meter]] away.<ref>{{cite journal|journal= Journal of Experimental Biology|volume=119| pages=115–131| year=1985| title=Attack behaviour and distance perception in the Australian bulldog ant ''Myrmecia nigriceps''| vauthors = Eriksson ES |url= http://jeb.biologists.org/content/119/1/115.full.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://jeb.biologists.org/content/119/1/115.full.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live | issue=1|doi=10.1242/jeb.119.1.115| doi-access=free|bibcode=1985JExpB.119..115E }}</ref> Based on experiments conducted to test their ability to differentiate between selected wavelengths of light, some ant species such as ''Camponotus blandus, Solenopsis invicta,'' and ''Formica cunicularia'' are thought to possess a degree of colour vision.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yilmaz |first1=Ayse |last2=Spaethe |first2=Johannes |date=2022 |title=Colour vision in ants (Formicidae, Hymenoptera) |journal= Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences|volume=377 |issue=1862 |doi=10.1098/rstb.2021.0291 |issn=0962-8436 |pmc=9441231 |pmid=36058251}}</ref>

Two [[antenna (biology)|antennae]] ("feelers") are attached to the head; these organs detect chemicals, [[air current]]s, and [[vibration]]s; they also are used to transmit and receive signals through touch. The head has two strong jaws, the [[Mandible (insect)|mandibles]], used to carry food, manipulate objects, construct nests, and for defence.<ref name="insectmorph"/> In some species, a small pocket (infrabuccal chamber) inside the mouth stores food, so it may be passed to other ants or their larvae.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Eisner T, Happ GM | title=The infrabuccal pocket of a formicine ant: a social filtration device | journal=Psyche: A Journal of Entomology | volume=69 | pages=107–116 | year=1962 | doi=10.1155/1962/25068 | issue=3| doi-access=free }}</ref>