National Geographic News

Saturday, November 22, 2025

'Nothing but a nightmare': Worker ants are tricked into murdering their mom by an imposter queen — who quickly takes the throne for herself | ''

https://www.livescience.com/animals/insects/nothing-but-a-nightmare-worker-ants-are-tricked-into-murdering-their-mom-by-an-imposter-queen-who-quickly-takes-the-throne-for-herself 

"
The parasite appears to infiltrate the colony then sprays the reigning queen with formic acid.

"The queen's odour is wiped out by the formic acid, and in an instant the individual whom workers most urgently protect turns into a vicious menace. For the host queen and for the workers alike, it is nothing but a nightmare,"