ant fact archive

Thomas Albdorf, Fountain (Part Five), from the series Body Double, 2022

Thomas Albdorf

Fountain (Part Five), from the series Body Double
2022
photograph
courtesy of the artist

In Malaysia, some ants8 live in the hollow internodes of giant bamboo stems. When their nest gets flooded by rain, they respond by drinking the water and excreting it on the outside of the plant.9 This strategy is known as communal peeing.10

  • Cataulacus muticus
  • This takes a while as they produce just one droplet at a time.
  • Maschwitz & Moog, 2000