Can Ants Get Depressed?
WouterWhether you’re a fan of the insects or a skeptic, you might be wondering if ants get depressed. In fact, they can experience a range of emotions including fear, irritation, anger, and even grief. Interestingly, they don’t seem to experience any pain or death. But they do have an anuse, which is like an intestine in humans.
Insects communicate with each other using pheromones. If you squash an ant, it releases pheromones which trigger more ants. They also use chemicals such as oleic acid.
Although the study was conducted on fruit flies, researchers think that some insect species may have feelings and emotions as well. These emotions may be similar to human feelings.
In a book for children, Insects and Their Habitations: A Book for Children, published by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge in 1833, children are told to not harm an insect in distress. This is because insects can become depressed and fearful if they are frightened.
Some insects have developed ways to cope with floods. For example, ants can use sponges to carry honey back to their nests. They also store food in a sac called a “crop,” which they share with their nestmates. The crop is also known as a social stomach.
Some ants are very social. They will share food with their nestmates, and will regurgitate food for their relatives. But there are also socially isolated species.
If you’re a phobic, you might lose consciousness when you come into contact with ants. Some people overuse pesticides to prevent ants. Other people fear that ants will contaminate their food.
