Do Ants Produce Milk?

Until now it had been assumed that ants produced milk, but that was not the case. Several other species of insects produce milk-like fluids. This includes bees, pigeons and Emperor penguins. Some ants, however, do not reproduce sexually, indicating that this is not the same thing.

The ant’s milk-like fluid may actually have originated long before they became eusocial. Scientists have identified compounds that are found in this fluid, suggesting that it is derived from the moulting fluids produced by the ants as they develop. The researchers say it is part of the metabolic division of labour.

Researchers also studied clonal raider ants. These ants were kept in isolation at different stages of their lives. They discovered that the ants’ milk-like fluid was present in each of the five major ant subfamilies. The researchers were not able to find the same level of fluid in scale insects, which lack wax glands and a complete gut.

However, the researchers did identify 185 proteins in the fluid. They were also able to isolate and identify several hundred metabolites. This suggests that fluid recycling may be a part of the metabolic division of labour.

A press release issued by the researchers says that the ants enjoy the fluid, regardless of their age. The researchers also say that the fluid has vitamins and essential amino acids.

The ants produce the milk-like fluid, which is called pupal social fluid. Adult ants consume it and newly hatched larvae depend on it to survive.