Crazy Ants Dominate Fire Ants by Neutralizing Their Venom

February 13, 2014 • by Marc Airhart

It’s the first known example of an insect with the ability to detoxify another insect’s venom.

One large ant with its hindquarters raised in the direction of smaller ants

Crazy ants (on the right) coat themselves with formic acid to neutralize the venom of the fire ant (at left). Copyright: Science. Photo credit: Lawrence Gilbert, University of Texas at Austin.


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