BrainStuff Classics: Will Ants Rescue Wounded Comrades?

Spoiler alert: Yep! Well, sometimes. Learn how one African ant species nurses its wounded soldiers, yielding a surprising survival rate, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/ants-rescue-treat-wounded-comrades.htm

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey
brain Stuff, Lauren Vogelbam here with another classic episode from
the archives. This one is about an interesting corner of
behavior and psychology, and I don't want to bury the lead,
so I'm gonna let former Lauren take it away. Hey

(00:22):
brain Stuff, Lauren vogel Bam Here. You've probably seen stories
about exemplary bravery and battle soldiers and volunteers who risk
everything to pull injured compatriots out of harm's way so
they can receive much needed medical attention. But some of
these heroes will never receive any medals, parades, or commendations
for their work, not because of injustice, but because their aunts.

(00:43):
A species called Megaponara analysis are termite hunting ants that
scientists say not only rescue injured comrades, but also treat
their wounds. The survival rate among those injured in this
combat is remarkable. Up to These ants live in colonies
in sub Saharan Africa that average nearly one thousand members.
The ants wage war on termites, raiding their nests and

(01:04):
dragging the dead back behind the lines as a source
of food. These raids, however, often come at a heavy price.
The termites bite and crushed the ants, ripping off limbs
and snapping off heads. Eric Frank, a scientist at the
University of Lausan in Switzerland, has studied these ants and
seen them do battle with termites at a research station
in the Komaay National Park, one of the largest protected

(01:24):
areas in West Africa in northern Cote Deuvois. He would
watch the ants drag the injured back to their nest.
But because the ants make their homes underground, it was
difficult to divine exactly what happened next. So Frank and
his team set out to discover what was happening inside
the nest. First, they captured entire ant colonies and set
them up in artificial nests. They then hooked up infrared

(01:46):
cameras to keep tabs on the insects. The scientists also
captured termites and then allowed the ants to stage a raid.
Many ants were gravely injured during the melee. Many lost limbs.
Their able bodied comrades responded by staging a battlefield triage,
separating the gravely wounded from the only slightly wounded. The
seriously injured those who lost at least five limbs often

(02:08):
died on the battlefield, because, as the researchers noted, they
didn't seem to want to be helped, that bend and
distort their bodies, making it difficult for their sisters in
arms to carry them to safety. Those whose wounds were
less serious, however, allowed themselves to be cared for. Once
back at the nest, the healthy ants set up an
aid station where they tended to the wounded, licking their injuries.

(02:28):
Ants who did not receive this treatment had an eight
percent chance of dying within twenty four hours after the battle.
Those who were treated had a survival rate of up
to nine and lived to fight another day, to the
benefit of the whole community. Frankness Team theorized that the
licking saves lives by preventing the onset of infection. Today's

(02:54):
episode is based on the article Ants Rescue and Treat
Wounded comrades on House to Forks dot com, written by
John Partano. Brain Stuff is production of i Heeart Radio
in partnership with how Stuffworks dot Com, and it's produced
by Tyler Plain. Before more podcasts to my heart Radio,
visit the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
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