Ants are among the most studied social insects and new research on their collective intelligence, pain responses, and social sophistication raises questions about their welfare significance.
Ants occupy a scientifically complex position in welfare considerations. Their individual neural complexity is low compared to vertebrates, but their social structures create emergent properties that may be relevant to welfare assessment. Evidence for nociception including behavioral responses to tissue damage is documented in multiple insect species. The precautionary principle applied to insects with any evidence for pain capacity would have enormous implications given the estimated 10 quintillion insects on Earth. Practical welfare consideration for ants must balance this uncertainty with the scale of human interactions with insects including pest control. Methods of ant control vary enormously in their welfare implications, from instant-kill toxicants to slower-acting baits and physical exclusion.