Why Ants Make Graveyards | Inverts For Dummies | S2E2
Channel: A. B. S. E.
Date: 15/01/2023

Did you know that ants make graveyards? There are many similarities humans and ants share, and we have a lot to learn from them!

FULL SERIES PLAYLIST LINK: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1bxqFokwOKGDziWU7U5v3hpHzfmYAUkD

Can inverts be similar to humans? And out of all of them, ants? There are many ways these eusocial insects are like us, and one common aspect of our lives involves graveyards…

Ants are fascinating. Not only are they known for forming colonies, but they are also extremely meticulous and clean creatures. There are around 15,000 ant species, all of which make incredible nests. Be it the arboreal fortresses of weaver ants or the mounds of fire ants- all nests having a complex network of chambers. Everything is segregated to maintain hygiene.
Death is a natural part of life. Worker ants have a short lifespan, and could also be killed or infected by parasites. The decomposition of the dead could endanger the whole colony if the bodies are kept within the nests, and hence they are carried far away into the graveyard site. Here, there are piles of the dead, and sometimes alive, ants. As mentioned, ants are very particular about what stays in their nest! Unlike humans, they do not mourn.

Now, how do they sense the death of another? When an ant dies, it releases oleic acid; a chemical which signals other workers to pick it up and place it into the graveyard. The antennae pick up the scent, and then they dispose of the dead one.