Necrophoresis...My Favorite Word

Eusocial insects such as ants often have many unique behaviors that seem fantastical based upon their small size.  One such behavior that many ants exhibit is the removal of dead members of the colony from the nest site.  This process, coined necrophoresis, has many advantages for the colony.  Research conducted by Diez, Le Borgne, Lejeune, & Detrain (2013) showed that in red ant, Myrmica rubra, special workers that live outside the main host of the colony are tasked with the removal of dead ants from the colony.  This process has direct benefits from preventing any diseased or parasitized ants from infecting the main host of the colony.  How do ants know when to remove a dead colony member?  Research completed by Choe, Millar, & Rust (2009) indicate that fatty acid compounds associated with the insect cuticle (waxy covering of the exoskeleton) disappear during death and are key indicators for worker ants to remove them from the colony.

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Works Cited:

Dong-Hwan Choe, 

Jocelyn G. Millar, 

and Michael K. Rust 

Chemical signals associated with life inhibit necrophoresis in Argentine ants PNAS 2009 106 (20) 8251-8255; published ahead of print May 4, 2009, doi:10.1073/pnas.0901270106

Diez, L., Le Borgne, H., Lejeune, P., & Detrain, C. (2013, December 1). Who brings out the dead? Necrophoresis in the red ant, Myrmica rubra. Retrieved October 12, 2015.