Ants are all kinds of smelly, and a recent study in PNAS advances our understanding of the molecular and genetic bases of these smells. See here for Vanderbilt University’s coverage of the study, and enjoy the below video produced in concert with the study’s publication. Thanks to Coffee Correspondant Ciara Reyes for bringing our attention to this study!
Do you know if ants are able to change these hydrocarbon coats at will? Or only in response to environmental or colony stressors? For instance, could an upwardly mobile minded ant choose to change it’s coat in order to force it’s way into a different role? That does not sound plausible given how honorable ants are, but I was curious if such behavior had ever been observed?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great question – as far as I understand, hydrocarbons are not usually (ever?) adjusted by the ants themselves. But perhaps this has been observed before and I’m just not aware of it!
LikeLike