Whose research first explained how ants use pheromone trails to find food?

Chemical communication in ants became famous through the work of entomologists including Edward O. Wilson and others in the mid-20th century. Their research showed that ants deposit pheromones to mark routes to food and nest sites. Other ants reinforce successful trails, which is why ant highways can become highly efficient. This discovery helped explain how huge colonies coordinate without a central leader. It also became a major foundation of modern studies of social insects and collective behavior.