Animal movement can provide insights into behavior, cognition, and population dynamics. However, tracking small animals in large groups presents challenges. Automated methods offer promising solutions that minimize effort and reduce bias from manual annotation. Chapter 2 examines the impact of tracking tags on rock ant (Temnothorax rugatulus) individual and collective behaviors. I find no reduction in individual activity but a significant impact on recruitment behavior. Chapter 3 investigates how T. rugatulus assesses nest cavity size. Since T. rugatulus prefer larger cavity areas, these ants seem to possess a mechanism for evaluating area. I then empirically test Buffon's Needle Algorithm, a potential mechanism for assessing area. While this algorithm provides distinguishable estimates collectively, individual ants visiting multiple nests would not perceive a difference in cavity sizes. I then find evidence for alternatives. This study enhances understanding of limitations in tag-based tracking and the mechanisms of nest area assessment in T. rugatulus.