Ant colonies operate as tightly coordinated "superorganisms" with individual ants working together, much like the cells of a body, to ensure their collective health. Researchers at the Institute of ...

The behavior prevents fungal pathogens from spreading through the colony Researchers call it "altruistic disease signaling" that protects the ant superorganism In a rare example of biological altruism ...

Ant (scientific name: Camponotus atriceps) infected with fungus (scientific name: Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato). The fungus forces the ant to climb off the forest floor and bite down on a ...

Fungal interactions with ant species represent a fascinating and complex interface that influences both individual physiology and colony-level dynamics. Research has shown that fungal infections, ...

Deep inside an ant nest, some of the youngest members are primed to die for the group. When infection strikes, these baby ants do not just fall sick and fade away. They actively trigger their own ...

Ants may be small, but they are quite rugged, especially in the face of extreme stressful situations like nuclear radiation.

Scientists describe the behavior as "altruistic signalling," a form of social immunity in eusocial insects A new research study finds infected ant pupae emit a chemical signal that prompts workers to ...