Ants Practice Therapeutic Amputations for Injured Comrades

Researchers have discovered that ants, particularly the Florida carpenter ants, engage in therapeutic amputations to treat injured nest mates. These ants have been observed performing amputations on injured legs of their comrades, resembling a form of medical care. The study showed that this medical intervention is often life-saving, as the ants meticulously tend to wounds, licking them to prevent infections from spreading. The amputation procedure is selective and targeted, focusing on upper leg injuries rather than lower leg wounds to effectively block infection spread.