Wood Ants Turn Tree Resin and Formic Acid Into a Stronger Antifungal Defense

Wood ants combine tree resin with formic acid to create a stronger antifungal defense that helps protect their colony.

Biology

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Wood ants have a surprisingly effective way to defend their colonies from harmful microbes. Research has found that the ants collect tree resin and apply their own formic acid to it, creating a combination with stronger antifungal activity than the resin alone. Formic acid is produced by the ants and can also be used directly for defense and nest sanitation. In experiments, resin became much better at inhibiting a disease-causing fungus after contact with ants, while adding formic acid greatly increased the resin’s antifungal effect. The effect depended on the resin, rather than simply being a general result of putting acid on a surface. This makes the behavior especially interesting because the ants are not merely using a substance made by plants. Their behavior brings two different chemical defenses together, producing a more effective antimicrobial mixture. Scientists have described this as an unusual example of an animal using environmental material together with a substance it produces itself to strengthen protection against pathogens. The behavior does not mean the ants consciously understand chemistry in the human sense. Instead, it is an evolved biological strategy that helps a colony manage microbial threats. The finding also adds to a broader picture of insects using surprisingly sophisticated ways to protect their nests, including antimicrobial substances collected from their environment.

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