Ants are known for their hardworking nature, but Australian scientists have discovered that a particular species of ants in southern Australia are skilled at playing dead. They engage in this collective behavior as a way to evade dangers. While many animals or insects may play dead, this is the first time scientists have observed this collective behavior in ants.
The University of South Australia revealed that researchers studying the growth of mountain brushtail possums and bats on Kangaroo Island unexpectedly found all the ants in a bat box pretending to be dead.
The researchers believe that the ants, known as Polyrhachis femorata, are feigning death as a defense mechanism to avoid potential threats. This is the first recorded instance of a collective playing dead behavior among ants in their habitat.
Associate Professor and wildlife biologist Topa Petit expressed surprise at seeing all the ants in a bat box appear as if they were dead. She said, “The ants were mimicking perfectly. When we opened the box, we saw all the ants were dead… and then one of them moved slightly.”
She mentioned that only a few species of ants are known to individually exhibit this immobile defense mechanism. The researchers had never witnessed an entire colony of ants displaying this behavior.
In certain boxes within the habitat of Polyrhachis femorata, some ants would stop moving while others did not. The triggering mechanism for this behavior remains difficult to understand.
These boxes provided an opportunity for studying the playing dead behavior of ants, capturing the interest of many biologists studying animal behavior.
The researchers stated that they had set up hundreds of boxes on Kangaroo Island, with most placed in areas that had been affected by wildfires in 2020. They believe that the Polyrhachis femorata ants were significantly impacted by the wildfires.
Petit noted that Polyrhachis femorata is a tree-dwelling ant that tends to be shy, with limited understanding of its ecology and behavior among people.
She also highlighted the importance of ants in the ecosystem of Kangaroo Island and other areas. She said, “It is very exciting to have lovely ants like Polyrhachis femorata living on Kangaroo Island, and we look forward to learning more about their ecology.”
She added, “We are confident that ants exhibiting similar playing dead behavior will be discovered in Australia, but being pioneers in this discovery is truly thrilling.”