Ants Use Acid to Disinfect Themselves and Their Colony
Ants are known for their stingers and biting tools, but they also possess a unique defense mechanism: formic acid. In the past, scientists believed that ants only used this acid as a chemical weapon. However, recent studies have shown that ants use their acid as a disinfectant to protect their offspring from harmful fungi. Now, researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg have discovered that ants also use their acid to disinfect themselves from the inside out.
Dr. Simon Tragust and his team observed that ants would clean themselves more frequently after consuming food or water. To investigate this behavior, they conducted a series of experiments and found that ants use their acid to protect themselves from diseases. When given access to their acid, ants had a higher chance of survival when consuming food contaminated with harmful bacteria. This behavior not only protects individual ants but also the entire colony, as ants exchange food and can spread infections.
The study also explains why ants have few acid-resistant bacteria in their digestive tracts. The acid acts as a filter mechanism that structures the ant’s microbiome. While few animals possess extremely acidic stomachs like ants and humans, most vertebrates produce acid directly in their stomachs. The effects on potential pathogens are similar in both cases.
This discovery sheds light on the complex and fascinating behavior of ants and their ability to protect themselves and their colony from harmful bacteria.
