Food collection - why do my worker ants often ignore food?

[ChubbiChibbai]

I thought worker ants were supposed to go get food without needing to be directed?

When playing i find that often they ignore the food and i have to use the pheromones to direct my solider ants to go collect.

Am i doing something wrong here?

[Hexaton]

That's normal. Worker ants in the nest group won't automatically go to food locations.

[pcdeltalink]

In general any ant will grab viable food if they get close enough to it. There are a few things that stop them from doing so.

1. Your food stores are full (this includes if the food currently being carried back will fill your stores even if it's not officially in the food storage yet).

2. You have food gathering turned off on that pheromone group.

3. Any ant close to combat will ignore items until combat is done. By default they will also drop whatever they are carrying if they get into a fight.

Lastly, your post isn't 100% clear but I'm wondering since you specify pheromone usage if you have all your worker ants in the nest group (far left table and where all ants are by default when placed). You cannot directly control this group (outside of digging hexagons out) and they often are busy doing other tasks. They do not seek out food randomly in the underground unless it is basically right in their path (and then the same above rules apply).

I would ask are your workers are in a dedicated pheromone group where you would be able to control them normally?

[Gingusa]

Originally posted by pcdeltalink:

In general any ant will grab viable food if they get close enough to it. There are a few things that stop them from doing so.

1. Your food stores are full (this includes if the food currently being carried back will fill your stores even if it's not officially in the food storage yet).

2. You have food gathering turned off on that pheromone group.

3. Any ant close to combat will ignore items until combat is done. By default they will also drop whatever they are carrying if they get into a fight.

Lastly, your post isn't 100% clear but I'm wondering since you specify pheromone usage if you have all your worker ants in the nest group (far left table and where all ants are by default when placed). You cannot directly control this group (outside of digging hexagons out) and they often are busy doing other tasks. They do not seek out food randomly in the underground unless it is basically right in their path (and then the same above rules apply).

I would ask are your workers are in a dedicated pheromone group where you would be able to control them normally?

on point 3., this is only if attack is turned on for the group, including ants in the nest group.
Also even if attack is turned on, if a worker is carrying food it wont drop it unless it dies, soldiers however will drop their food if they see an enemy if attack is on, i don't remember if a soldier would drop its food if its attacked with attack off but i don't think they do.

[pcdeltalink]

Originally posted by Gingusa:

Originally posted by pcdeltalink:

In general any ant will grab viable food if they get close enough to it. There are a few things that stop them from doing so.

1. Your food stores are full (this includes if the food currently being carried back will fill your stores even if it's not officially in the food storage yet).

2. You have food gathering turned off on that pheromone group.

3. Any ant close to combat will ignore items until combat is done. By default they will also drop whatever they are carrying if they get into a fight.

Lastly, your post isn't 100% clear but I'm wondering since you specify pheromone usage if you have all your worker ants in the nest group (far left table and where all ants are by default when placed). You cannot directly control this group (outside of digging hexagons out) and they often are busy doing other tasks. They do not seek out food randomly in the underground unless it is basically right in their path (and then the same above rules apply).

I would ask are your workers are in a dedicated pheromone group where you would be able to control them normally?

on point 3., this is only if attack is turned on for the group, including ants in the nest group.
Also even if attack is turned on, if a worker is carrying food it wont drop it unless it dies, soldiers however will drop their food if they see an enemy if attack is on, i don't remember if a soldier would drop its food if its attacked with attack off but i don't think they do.

Good to know, thanks. I’ve VERY rarely seen the need to disable anything on a group so I haven’t tested those much (for example, disable gathering when near a pitcher plant).

[ChubbiChibbai]

Originally posted by pcdeltalink:

Good to know, thanks. I’ve VERY rarely seen the need to disable anything on a group so I haven’t tested those much (for example, disable gathering when near a pitcher plant).

It's actually very useful and i do use it alot.
BUT it's good to be aware of it as well. One time i accidentally toggled the 'dont attack' on for my group and wondered why they all got slaughtered.

[pcdeltalink]

Originally posted by ChubbiChibbai:

Originally posted by pcdeltalink:

Good to know, thanks. I’ve VERY rarely seen the need to disable anything on a group so I haven’t tested those much (for example, disable gathering when near a pitcher plant).

It's actually very useful and i do use it alot.
BUT it's good to be aware of it as well. One time i accidentally toggled the 'dont attack' on for my group and wondered why they all got slaughtered.

Just managed to do 5.1 on easy...barely (I really think that level needs some nerfs for the titans). And yeah, toggling off combat/gather on certain groups is basically required for your raids to do anything.