Sick young ants release a smell to tell worker ants to destroy them to protect the colony from infection, scientists said Tuesday, adding that queens do not seem to commit this act of self-sacrifice.

An intruding Lasius orientalis queen (left) gains access to the host queen of L. flavus for first contact. - Yuji Tanaka/Current Biology/Takasuka et al. Scientists say they have for the first time ...

When worker ants inspect the pupae and encounter the scent, they get busy unpacking the cocoon and creating small openings in the pupae's body by biting it. Next, they disinfect the pupae with formic ...

Ant species that evolved thinner shells traded individual armor protection for increases in colony size, enabling improved food gathering, task organization and defense, according to researchers from ...

Stephen has degrees in science (Physics major) and arts (English Literature and the History and Philosophy of Science), as well as a Graduate Diploma in Science Communication. Stephen has degrees in ...

The critical factor for determining which ants become queens or workers may be as simple as some extra insulin. In a study published Thursday in the journal Science, researchers showed that the genes ...

Invading parasitic ant queens trick ant workers from different colonies into killing and dismembering their own mother, so the invader can step in and take the throne, according to a new study. The ...

Scientists studying the way ant colonies defend against disease have discovered a surprising strategy: Young ants who become terminally ill will send out an altruistic "kill me" signal for the worker ...

Scientists have uncovered the fossil of a 52-million-year old beetle that likely was able to live alongside ants—preying on their eggs and usurping resources—within the comfort of their nest. The ...