Carpenter Ants as Surgeons

By Shlomo Maital

     Sometimes, the incredible innovative power of evolution/natural selection knocks my socks off.  Here is an example, from today’s New York Times. *

      * Annie Roth. “Videos show ants amputating nest mates’ legs to save their lives”.  July 2.

       The life of carpenter ants is brutal, she reports.  They forage, often encounter rival ants, and engage in warfare, returning wounded, often with leg injuries.  Those injuries can be fatal, as the bacteria that infect the wound spread rapidly and kill the little ant.

         But, as Biden says, “here’s the thing”.  Graduate student Dany Buffat filmed carpenter ants amputing the legs of wounded nest mates,  with the wounded ant’s full compliance.  Ants have lots of legs, they can spare one – and the amputation prevents infection and death.

         Wait.  How in the world do these tiny ants, with microscopic brains, know how and when to amputate, like world class surgeons?

          The amputated ants survive 90% of the time, as opposed to zero % when no amputation occurs. 

          Is this amazing?  IS it all explained by evolution?   Is this learned behavior? 

         Not only does the surgeon-ant amputate.  When the leg drops off, the wounded ant presents the stump and the surgeon-ant licks and cleans it! 

          As the Book of Proverbs counsels:  Go to the ant..and be wise.