Do Ants Give Off a Scent When They Die?
WouterWhether you have the ants in your house or not, you might be asking yourself, “Do ants give off a scent when they die?” Well, the answer is a resounding yes. Ants release several different chemicals that have unique scents.
When a comrade dies, the ants carry him or her to an ant graveyard, or midden, as it is also known. The dead ant is then laid out for two days before it is carried to its final resting place.
As with most animals, the way ants respond to death is different than how humans respond. They use a chemical called a pheromone to encourage immediate action in their colonies. While this chemical is usually the strongest, there are several others.
Another important pheromone-related chemical is linoleic acid. This chemical has a unique scent, and is used to alert other ants of the death of an insect. Interestingly, larger food items can obscure this smell.
As you might imagine, many common species of ants release pungent smells when squished. In fact, the most common species in our homes is the odorous house ant. When squished, this ant releases a chemical known as the blue cheese pheromone.
Other scents include the citronella-like smell of a Citronella ant. Another common ant is the Carpenter ant, which uses acid to ward off attackers. It’s also thought that the carpenter ant’s acid-spouting ability may be a genetic trait.
As with most species, ants are omnivores, and their diet includes insects, fruits, and sap. Their bodies are full of chemicals that aid them in their daily activities. They also produce a chemical called oleic acid that alerts other ants to the death of an insect.
