Ants as battlefield medics: wound care and leg amputations boost survival
Two ant species show advanced medical care: African Matabele ants treat wounded nestmates after raids, using antimicrobial saliva to cut infection mortality by up to 90% and triaging injuries; Florida carpenter ants, lacking this saliva, amputate injured legs (above the femur) or groom lower-leg wounds to optimize survival, with untreated ants about 40% likely to die, amputations yielding around 90% survival and lower-leg injuries about 75%. The findings from Erik T. Frank's work reveal sophisticated non-human medical strategies and nuanced social care in ants.