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Parasitic Ants Use Chemical Weapons to Force Workers to Kill Their Own Queen
Parasitic ant queens spray formic acid on host queens to alter their scent, triggering workers to kill their own queen before accepting the invader, researchers report.
- On November 17, researchers reported in Current Biology that parasitic queens Lasius orientalis and Lasius umbratus cause host workers to kill their own queen in invaded colonies.
- Because ants depend on scent for recognition, parasitic queens acquire nestmate odour by rubbing host workers, allowing the invading queen to enter the colony undetected, researchers reported.
- In one experiment a Lasius orientalis queen sprayed her victim 16 times in 20 hours, escalating attacks until workers dismembered their queen after four days; the invader laid eggs after about 10 days.
- After matricide the invader assumes the throne, the parasitic queen is accepted and lays eggs tended by host workers, and about 3,000 workers emerge within about one year; researchers reported this lowers risk during the founding phase.
- Researchers suspect the strategy may be more widespread; citizen scientist Taku Shimada first posted the observation in 2021, and the team reported it Monday, marking a first documented case of third-party matricide.
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Daily Journal+17 Reposted by 17 other sources
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·Cherokee County, United States
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Total News Sources67
Leaning Left10Leaning Right2Center38Last UpdatedBias Distribution76% Center
Bias Distribution
- 76% of the sources are Center
76% Center
L 20%
C 76%
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