Why do ants eat just the coating on a potato chip and not the chip?
When ants eat the coating on a potato chip and leave the chip itself untouched, it's because they are primarily attracted to the oils and flavors present in the coating. The coating of a potato chip often contains seasonings, oils, and additives that provide a strong scent and taste, making it more appealing to ants.
Ants have a keen sense of smell and taste, and they use their sensory receptors to detect and assess the suitability of food sources. The high concentration of attractive chemicals in the coating of a potato chip makes it an enticing target for foraging ants.
While the chip itself may not provide the same level of desirable flavors or nutrients, ants may still come into contact with the chip during their exploration or while carrying the coating back to the nest. As a result, you may notice ants around the chip, even if they primarily focus on consuming the coating.
If you'd like to learn more about the foraging behavior of ants and how they search for food, you can read the article "Ants and Their Foraging Behavior: How They Search for Food."