But one newly-discovered ant species goes above and beyond when it senses danger. It explodes – killing itself – and coats adversaries in a toxic yellow goo, the ultimate act of self-sacrifice to protect its colony. They are the first new species of exploding ant to be discovered since 1935, Laciny said. In that role, the ant will serve as a reference point for future research about exploding ants, Laciny said. “The exploding workers work as immune cells, they sacrifice their lives to hold off danger.”

Source: National Post April 20, 2018 14:15 UTC