PH
Researchers studying Florida carpenter ants discovered that the insects can respond differently depending on where another ant's leg is injured.
For certain upper-leg injuries, nestmates were observed amputating the injured limb. For injuries lower down the leg, they instead spent more time cleaning the wound.
The treatment improved survival in the experimental conditions.
Humans aren't the only animals known to use amputation as a response to severe injury.
© University of Würzburg