Do exploding ants die when they explode?
When their nest is invaded, they rupture their own abdomens, releasing a sticky, bright yellow fluid laced with toxins on their attackers. Similar to honey bees that die after stinging, the exploded ants do not survive, but their sacrifice can help save the colony.
Do exploding ants live?
Unfortunately, the trees that exploding ants call home survive in some of the few intact rainforests remaining on Borneo, places where it rains in amounts “unimaginable to a person from Central Europe,” Laciny says.
What do exploding ants eat?
And in addition to documenting the ants’ exploding behavior in more detail, the researchers also studied their eating habits; these insects like to munch on algae, moss, fungi, dead insects, fruit, and fish.
What kind of ant is the Malaysian exploding ant?
Species of Asian ant, also called the “Malaysian Exploding Ant” after their (suicide) attack. Colobopsis saundersi, synonym Camponotus saundersi, is a species of ant found in Malaysia and Brunei, belonging to the genus Colobopsis.
What kind of ants explode when you touch them?
The exploding ants of Borneo were first described by Ulrich Maschwitz in 1974. These ants in the genus, Camponotus, would respond to even a light touch with forceps by “exploding”. The body wall would rupture and a sticky yellow “goo” ooze from the ant and glue it to the forceps.
Where can you find carpenter ants in the world?
Camponotus saundersi. Camponotus saundersi is a species of ant found in Malaysia and Brunei, belonging to the genus of Carpenter ants.
Where can I find Camponotus saundersi carpenter ants?
Camponotus saundersi is a species of ant found in Malaysia and Brunei, belonging to the genus of Carpenter ants. A worker can explode suicidally and aggressively as an ultimate act of defense, an ability it has in common with several other species in this genus and a few other insects.
