This dataset relates to a comparative study of the kinematics of locomotion of worker ants of the species Formica rufa walking unloaded or transporting food either internally, in their gaster (in the form of liquid food), or externally, in their mandibles (small pieces of maggot). Each .csv files contains the data used to generate the different figures of the manuscript. The .csv file "Data_ColumnHeading_Caption" gives the meaning of the column headings of the datasets. All .csv files can also be found as different sheets in the Excel file named "DataSubmission.xlx". The .csv file "Data_Mass_Ant" contains the fresh body mass of the ants at the beginning (upon exiting the nest) and at the end (upon their return to the nest with food) of four successive foraging trips, as well as other data on their behavior (mass of the load transported, number of trophallaxies inside the nest, foodbound and nestbound trip duration...). In the first three foraging trips ants feed on a sucrose solution and thus return to their nest with a gaster full of liquid. In the fourth and last foraging trip, they find small pieces of maggot and thus return to the nest with a prey in their mandibles. The .csv file "Data_Mass_Ant_Caption" gives the meaning of the column heading.