Ants are very active in foraging to find food source and competitive in retrieving for safe storage in nests through pheromone trail laying (PTL). In the present review, the characteristics of trail pheromone that has a prominent role in foraging activities are discussed. While PTL results in paving direct pheromone route between food source and nest and recruitment of mass workers which learn the route for successful retrieval, behavioural plasticity in foraging was reported because of many factors like temperature, food quality, quantity, competitors influencing on PTL. Among several glands found in ants, poison gland is the prominent one secreting chemical compounds associated with PTL, while studies about association of other glands (Dufour’s gland, Pavan’s gland, rectal/pygidial gland) with PTL and functional utilities are very meager.
