How do ants organize funeral ceremonies for their deceased relatives? (5 photos)

Every creature is mortal. But not only people tend to take care of the deceased compatriots. Some animals also respect the laws death and perform rituals that are not devoid of aesthetics.





A worker ant lives no more than a couple of years. And some anthills number tens of thousands, and even millions of individuals. Accordingly, insects die a lot and often. What do relatives do with remains?



Given the high level of organization, discipline and diligence of these insects, it can be assumed that they really conduct some funeral rites. But, no - ants are rational and pragmatic. Therefore, the deceased fellow automatically turns into scrap and taken out of the anthill to the dustbin of history. Literally - not far from their place of residence, they really organize some a kind of trash can where the bodies of the dead go. This is important because if you do not follow the cleanliness in the anthill, then this will lead to problems type of mold and already mass death.



How do ants determine that a tribesman is not sick or not lay down to rest, but really died? By smell. Corpse starts exude the aroma of oleic acid, and comrades understand that it is time start cleaning.



For the purposes of the experiment, entomologists conducted an experiment and smeared acid to a living ant. The reaction was not long in coming, and the neighbors immediately grabbed the bewildered test subject and dragged him into junk.



An exception is not made even for the uterus. And if the royal the carcass cannot be pulled out, then it is dismantled for spare parts and taken out in pieces.

Of course, neither solemnity nor decency in the process No. But from the point of view of a densely populated condominium, practical boogers they do everything right.