3 ms·
Devouring the infected for the good of the brood is pretty freaking metal. But how is the queen able to survive the constant influx of disease?
by standardUser 3y ago
Devouring the infected for the good of the brood is pretty freaking metal.
But how is the queen able to survive the constant influx of disease?
- kevingadd 3y agoThe abstract doesn't say, but my guess would be that a mature queen has a more functional immune system than larvae/eggs do.
- Terr_ 3y agoAlso the digestive process is necessarily destructive to whatever is being eaten, and may kill many would-be infectious organisms that haven't evolved to resist or exploit that route.
- devin 3y agoFrom the article: > Ant queens may minimise their risk of contracting infections via cannibalism by swallowing their acidic, antimicrobial venom, to create a gut environment that neutralises pathogens, as reported in workers [6]. Indeed, we anecdotally observed queens grooming the abdominal venom gland opening.