All over the southern United States, miniature foes are engaging in fierce battle. Invasive "crazy ants" have been displacing fire ants, and a curious defensive strategy may be behind the crazy ants' bold takeover.
Fire ants pack potent venom that kills most ants that come into contact with it. But when crazy ants get stung, they secrete a substance and rub it all over themselves to neutralize the venom, new research finds.
This detoxifying behavior — the first example of an insect capable of detoxifying another's venom — may be the reason crazy ants have been able to compete with the venomous fire ants, according to the study detailed online today (Feb. 13) in the journal Science.
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