When infected by a fungal disease, ant pupae actively emit a chemical cue that prompts workers to get rid of them for the ...
Ant species that evolved thinner shells traded individual armor protection for increases in colony size, University of ...
Species with thinner protective barriers may need fewer resources and tend to have a greater ability to adapt to new habitats ...
Move over, Game of Thrones—ants can turn armies against their leaders and use subterfuge to take over entire kingdoms, too. This chilling discovery did not originate with a professional scientist, but ...
Mammals keep evolving into anteaters, eating only ants and termites, at least 12 times since the age the dinosaurs.
"By warning the colony of their deadly infection, terminally ill ants help the colony remain healthy and produce daughter colonies, which indirectly pass on the signaler’s genes to the next generation ...
In a remarkable display of self-sacrifice, baby ants infected with a deadly fungus deliberately signal worker ants to kill them. This extreme measure prevents the spread of disease, protecting the ...
Ant pupae that are fatally sick don’t hide their condition; instead, they release a special scent that warns the rest of the colony. This signal prompts worker ants to open the pupae’s cocoons and ...
Sick, immature worker ants produce a signal that triggers their nestmates to destroy them, according to a study of a single ant species published in Nature Communications this week. This act is ...
Illness usually brings trouble in the animal world. A weak member may be pushed aside, attacked, or left behind. Many animals go to great lengths to hide sickness. But for creatures bound by family, ...
Sick young ants release a smell to tell worker ants to destroy them to protect the colony from infection, scientists said Tuesday, adding that queens do not seem to commit this act of self-sacrifice.
Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Ants are some of nature’s most selfless animals. They practice ...
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