Some ant architects design a colony to cut the risk of disease. Humans, take note!
Summary
Researchers found that black garden ants change the design of their nests to slow down the spread of a deadly fungus. The ants separate spaces and distance themselves to limit disease spread, showing proactive social distancing.Key Facts
- Black garden ants face a deadly fungus called Metarhizium brunneum, which can spread rapidly.
- Infected ants self-isolate to prevent spreading the fungus to other ants.
- Healthy ants also increase their distance from infected colony members.
- Ants change their nest structure by creating more separate spaces when a pathogen is present.
- Altered nests have more compartments and fewer connections to reduce disease spread.
- New nest designs have entrances spaced farther apart to limit ant interactions.
- These changes help protect the colony by allowing infected ants to isolate effectively.
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