Post #1897427

2026-04-30 02:28 UTC

@futurebird @minmi I periodically see ants returning to their nest, carrying a dead sibling. Are they consumed at the nest? I lose visuals after they’re behind the baseboard.

Replies (2)

@futurebird@sauropods.win 2026-04-30 02:34

@edsullivan @minmi Ants generally won't eat dead adults because of the risk of spreading disease or parasites. Ants will collect and move dead ants to a location far from their nest to keep things tidy. So I doubt she was taking the dead at to eat. Even when they raid other ants for food they take the larvae and eggs but not the workers as food. Ants don't really have much meat on them anyway so it's high risk low reward to recycle adults.

Open ##1897428
@futurebird@sauropods.win 2026-04-30 02:35

@edsullivan @minmi Now this implies there is an ant graveyard behind your baseboard. Which means your house is haunted by ants now. (It could also be that the ant she was carrying only seemed dead. Ants go limp or fold up when they are picked up by a nest mate so they are easier to carry. )

Open ##1897430