Too incredulous to be true!
The fact is there are rescue ants!
Ants are the first animals to heal wounded comrades!
A new study reveals that after a raid on a termite nest, the comrades of injured ants carry their wounded home & care for them.
Research reveals that ants take turns caring for their injured comrades in the nest. They observe that the caring ant will hold the hurt limb in place with their mandibles & front legs while licking the wound for up to four minutes.
Erik T. Frank, the myrmecologist, discovered this phenomenon about ants in 2017. It is the first time science has observed non-human animals nursing their wounded back to health.
So how did they see inside the nest?
Frank & colleagues at the Comoé National Park Research Station in northeastern Côte d’Ivoire created artificial nests with transparent covers so that an infrared camera could capture the activity inside.
Studies reveal that ants cared for by their nest-mates have an 80 percent chance of survival.
Frank reports that he found injured ants release a pheromone which acts as a signal flare alerting the mates there’s a man down.
He states there is much to learn about why social insects may try to rescue one another. Research & observation continues.
Thank you, readers, for reading & commenting on my article.
Here is an excellent YouTube video if you are interested.
Watch ants rescue their wounded comrades — YouTube
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