How Ants Deal With the Dead – A Documentary About Ant Burial Rituals

MPORTANT: No ants were harmed or injured during the making of this video. It might go without saying, but we believe it’s still important to make that clear.

Ants and Death Explained – a journey into one of the most fascinating and unexpected aspects of ant behavior. From corpse removal to cannibalism, cemetery organization to self-sacrifice, this episode uncovers the real reasons why ants deal with death the way they do.

Discover in this film:

How ants detect a dead nestmate

Why some ants eat their own dead

What self-removal is and why it matters

Surprising research showing corpse removal doesn't always stop infections

The fascinating funerary rituals of species like Solenopsis invicta, Formica rufa, Oecophylla smaragdina, and more

What looks like funeral behavior might actually be good housekeeping.

See the stats and species comparison here → www.researchgate.net/publication/260715254_The_fun…

Study cited: Germán Octavio López-Riquelme & Maria Luisa Fanjul-Moles (2013)
Special thanks to our visual contributors

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Terminology to speak about Ants and Death:
Necrophoresis – The act of removing dead individuals from the colony.

Necrophagy (Intraspecific) – Consumption of dead ants by members of the same species.

Self-remotion – Terminally ill or injured ants leaving the colony to die alone.

Funerary behavior – Collective term for how ants deal with their dead.

Hygienic behavior – Actions taken to prevent disease within the colony.

Corpse management – How ants handle deceased nestmates.

Graveyard zone / Cemetery area – Designated locations where ants deposit corpses.

Refuse pile / Trash midden – Area where ants discard waste, including dead bodies.

Avoidance behavior – Refusal to approach or interact with a corpse.

Burying behavior – Covering or entombing corpses with soil or debris.

Cannibalism – Consumption of dead nestmates as a food source.

Trophallaxis – Exchange of fluids; relevant when discussing disease spread.
Quarantine behavior – Isolation of sick or dying ants.

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