When an ant dies, a friend of one nest immediately evacuated and set it aside. That way, the risk of a colony is infected with disease outbreaks can be minimized.
But how do they know his partner is dead? There is a theory which states that the dead ants release a chemical produced by the decay, such as fatty acids. The smell of chemicals was a sign of their death for the ant colony that is still alive.
Now the insect expert who examined the Argentine ants, insects are very territorial fierce, offering evidence of other mechanisms behind necrophoresis, disposal of dead colony members.
All ants, living or dead, has "chemicals of death", but ants have a life other chemical substances associated with life, namely "chemicals of life." When an ant dies, chemicals life fade or break down, and only the chemical The remaining deaths.
"That is because ants are no longer smells like dead ants that live immediately transported to the cemetery, not because he was issued a new unique chemical substance that forms after he died," said Dong-Hwan Choe, lead researcher at the University of California, Riverside, United States .
Dong-Hwan Choe findings published online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Understanding the precise mechanism of necrophoresis ants may help researchers develop pest management strategies that are environmentally friendly so as to achieve maximum results with fewer number of insecticides," said Choe.
The study of Argentine ants do Choe and his team indicate that the neighbor nester distribute insecticide works slowly and non-repellent efficient among them through necrophoresis.
"When an ant insecticide exposure was dead in the nest, other ants will carry his body around, and insecticides were easily dispersed from ant to ant's body healthy," he said.
But how do they know his partner is dead? There is a theory which states that the dead ants release a chemical produced by the decay, such as fatty acids. The smell of chemicals was a sign of their death for the ant colony that is still alive.
Now the insect expert who examined the Argentine ants, insects are very territorial fierce, offering evidence of other mechanisms behind necrophoresis, disposal of dead colony members.
All ants, living or dead, has "chemicals of death", but ants have a life other chemical substances associated with life, namely "chemicals of life." When an ant dies, chemicals life fade or break down, and only the chemical The remaining deaths.
"That is because ants are no longer smells like dead ants that live immediately transported to the cemetery, not because he was issued a new unique chemical substance that forms after he died," said Dong-Hwan Choe, lead researcher at the University of California, Riverside, United States .
Dong-Hwan Choe findings published online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Understanding the precise mechanism of necrophoresis ants may help researchers develop pest management strategies that are environmentally friendly so as to achieve maximum results with fewer number of insecticides," said Choe.
The study of Argentine ants do Choe and his team indicate that the neighbor nester distribute insecticide works slowly and non-repellent efficient among them through necrophoresis.
"When an ant insecticide exposure was dead in the nest, other ants will carry his body around, and insecticides were easily dispersed from ant to ant's body healthy," he said.
