The Lord of Death in Ant Society: What happens when a body collector comes to the hive? (8 photos)

This little bug from the tropical forests of Africa and Asia is a real necromancer. The essence of his behavior is to catch stray ants, pierce their flesh, and then literally drink the victim.





How I love ant juice!



Time to harvest.

But this is just the beginning! After killing an ant, the bug does not throw out the carcass. He carefully places the victim on his back. Thus, up to 20 withered mummies can accumulate on the body of one bug. It turns out to be a real brutal coffin carrier!





Taxi, taxi, free taxi. Why is everyone running away?

Why is this maniacilla collecting an entire necropolis? Is he really preparing to ascend to lychee? But that’s almost exactly how it is. At first, when there are still few bodies on the back, the smell of fallen ants masks the predatory bug. This way he is able to hunt even more effectively, because the ants running past think that there is a familiar smell of their brothers, which means it’s safe.



Why are you ashamed? Everyone is here. We're having a party.

A little later, the bug collects a whole mountain of ant bodies on its back and can go to the place of real abundance - into the anthill itself. Now there is so much smell on it that not a single stupid ant will figure out that a monster has come to the hive, wanting to reap their souls to the last drop.



I just carry all my merits with me.



A satisfied and, most importantly, successful predatory bug.

It turned out great! And now the funny thing is that all of the above is done only by the larva of this bug. When our maniac has eaten enough and collected a decent harvest of souls, then it’s time to turn into a lich, or, scientifically speaking, into an adult.



Rise of the King of Death. The adult form of the predatory bug.

An adult bug no longer collects dead things on its back, now it has gorgeous black wings there! However, the monster will continue to eat ants in its adult phase. So, traveling on infernal wings through the tropical forest, the predator bug will launch dozens of new development cycles for future cute little necromantics!



“I will be the first to become the Lord of Death.” - No, me!