Ant Colony Simulator

A graphical simulation of an ant colony demonstrating emergent behavior and path-finding algorithms.

Features

• Interactive ant colony simulation with customizable parameters
• A* pathfinding algorithm for efficient navigation
• Ants with different behaviors based on energy levels
• Food gathering and transport mechanics
• Obstacle avoidance and stuck-detection systems
• Dynamic ant spawning when food packages are delivered

Requirements

• Python 3.6+
• Tkinter (usually comes with Python)

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/ant-simulator.git
cd ant-simulator

Usage

Run the simulation:

python ants.py

Controls

1. First click: Place food source (red circle)
2. Second click: Place nest (blue circle)
3. Third click: Reset food and nest locations

Configuration

Use the control panel on the right side to adjust:

• Number of ants
• Energy loss rate
• Ant speed range
• Number of obstacles
• Enable/disable ant spawning
• Toggle lifetime counting

How It Works

The simulation models ant behavior with these key aspects:

1. Pathfinding: Ants use A* algorithm to find efficient routes between locations
2. Energy management: Ants lose energy over time and change colors (green→yellow→red)
3. Food collection: Ants gather food from the source and return it to the nest
4. Cooperation: Ants can help each other when stuck

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.