Worker ants and their pupae (IMAGE)

Institute of Science and Technology Austria

Worker ants and their pupae

Caption

Ant pupae represent the developmental stage between the larval and adult stages. Immobile, they are unable to react to infection by leaving the nest. Instead, when infected and nearing death, they emit an odor signal alerting the worker ants that they will become a highly contagious infection risk that may threaten the health of the entire colony.

Credit

© Line V. Ugelvig & Barbara Leyrer / ISTA

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