  We introduce a simulation environment to facilitate research into emergent
collective behaviour, with a focus on replicating the dynamics of ant colonies.
By leveraging real-world data, the environment simulates a target ant trail
that a controllable agent must learn to replicate, using sensory data observed
by the target ant. This work aims to contribute to the neuroevolution of models
for collective behaviour, focusing on evolving neural architectures that encode
domain-specific behaviours in the network topology. By evolving models that can
be modified and studied in a controlled environment, we can uncover the
necessary conditions required for collective behaviours to emerge. We hope this
environment will be useful to those studying the role of interactions in
emergent behaviour within collective systems.
