ant fact archive

Daniel Milanese, David Buys A Wife, 2022

Daniel Milanese

David Buys A Wife
2022
ink and liquid graphite on paper
55×45 cm
courtesy of the artist

Wood Ants41 are among the only animals to create drug cocktails. By combining the formic acid produced by their own bodies with tree resin, they create a powerful antimicrobial agent to safeguard the colony from disease.42,43

  • Formica paralugubris
  • Large amounts of resin are brought into the nest to protect the brood from infections. As the ants grow older, will the smell of pine trees remind them of their childhood?
  • Brütsch et al., 2017