Do Ants Contain Acid?
WouterUntil recently, it was believed that formic acid is only used to repel predators. However, a new study shows that ants use the chemical as medication.
Scientists found that ants can use the chemical to kill pathogens in food. Ants also use the acid to disinfect their stomachs. This allows them to keep disease from spreading within their colonies.
Carpenter ants have a poison gland in their abdomen that helps them filter out harmful bacteria. It also helps them adjust the pH of their crops.
Scientists have also discovered that wood ants use their acid to defend their nest. The acid is also used as a flavouring agent. The venom of some ants has been found to contain large amounts of formic acid.
Another study suggests that ants use the acid to detoxify fire ant venom. Scientists also found that ants who could not apply formic acid to their bodies died. However, the reasoning behind this process is still unclear.
The study was conducted in the Brackenridge Field Laboratory. This was a collaborative effort between Dr. Simon Tragust and Professor Heike Feldhaar. It is the first scientific study to demonstrate that ants use formic acid to detoxify their bodies.
Carpenter ants were able to selectively filter out harmful bacteria while allowing beneficial bacteria to survive. The study was published in the journal eLife. This was a very exciting study. The experiment was well-documented and clearly written.
Formic acid is not naturally produced in ants. However, some ant species produce it for defense and attack.
