How Social Insects Recognize Dead Nestmates

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505124750.htm

The predominant understanding among entomologists – scientists who study insects – was that dead ants release chemicals created by decomposition (such as fatty acids) that signal their death to the colony's living ants. But now, entomologists working on Argentine ants provide evidence for a different mechanism for how the removal of dead nestmates from colonies works. In a recently published article, researchers reported that all ants, both living and dead have the “death chemicals” continually, but live ants have them along with the “life chemicals” When an ant dies, it’s “life chemicals” dissipate and only the death chemicals remain. “It’s because the dead ant no longer smells like a living ant that it gets carried to the graveyard, not because its body releases new, unique chemicals after death.” Understanding the exact mechanism of ant necrophoresis will help researchers develop a more environmentally friendly pest management strategy by which we can achieve results with smaller amounts of insecticide.