Ants can detect their health issues and self-medicate

Humans are intelligent creatures and use medicines to treat themselves. However, do ants know how to treat their ailments? Researchers from the University of Helsinki, Finland, discovered that ants are capable of recognizing that they are sick and can self-medicate. The research team exposed black ants Formica fusca to fungal pathogens. Soon after, the ants began feeding on diet that contained hydrogen peroxide, which can be found in the damaged plants, other insects and cadavers. This helped them survive the infections better. They also observed that ants without infection showed no interest in a hydrogen peroxide rich diet. According to the team, this behavior of ants proves that they are aware of their health status and ways to survive any disorders.

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