Science has been studying ants in depth for decades.
It was already known, for example, that they are very social insects and that they organize themselves according to their functions within the anthills.
However, none of these previous studies had looked at a liquid that ants release while they are in the transformation phase, during which the ant, which happens to be called a pupa, transforms from larva to adult species.
The liquid in question, which you can see in the video that accompanies this news item, has been analyzed by a group of specialists from Rockefeller University (New York, United States) and is made up of nutrients, hormones, and neuroactive substances.
That is, it could be classified as a substance similar to milk in mammals.
The main conclusion of the study is that the youngest larvae show stunted growth and reduced survival if they do not have access to this fluid.
The study has also revealed that secretion begins six days before hatching in different types of ants.
The same behavior has been observed in all of them, so experts attribute this habit to the different types of species of this invertebrate animal.
The study concludes that this substance is beneficial for the survival of the group and, above all, for the growth of the minor larvae.
By emanating this nutritious liquid, the pupae are also benefited.
If the discharge is not removed, they could develop fungal infections and die.
Orli Snir, in charge of the hypotheses of this work to which the finding is attributed, emphasizes the importance of the discovery.
Until now, adult ants were considered the epicenter of hives and with this demonstration, the importance of this subgroup within the hive hierarchy is evident.
The researcher decided to observe the pupae in isolation and realized that, with the right temperature and humidity level, the animals produced this liquid in large quantities that had never been analyzed before.