Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

"Exploding" Termite Species Discovered

Posted by samzenpus on from the needs-of-the-many dept.

ananyo writes "A species of termite found in the rainforests of French Guiana takes altruism seriously: aged workers grow sacks of toxic blue liquid that they explode onto their enemies in an act of suicidal self-sacrifice to help their colonies. The 'explosive backpacks' of Neocapritermes taracua grow throughout the lifetimes of the worker termites, filling with blue crystals secreted by a pair of glands on the insects' abdomens. Older workers carry the largest and most toxic backpacks. Those individuals also, not coincidentally, are the least able to forage and tend for the colony: their mandibles become dull and worn as the termites age, because they cannot be sharpened by moulting (abstract)."

12 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. I propose we name them... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Banelings 1.0

  2. maximum age crystals by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Scientists have discovered small crystals embedded in the ants' palms that turn to a different color when the ant's maximum age has been reached. However, in one colony they observed two ants trying to escape this fate by running away from the colony and finding sanctuary. Other ants were tasks with hunting down the two runners and terminating them.

    1. Re:maximum age crystals by mcneely.mike · · Score: 3, Funny

      There is no sanctuary

      But there is a wonderful older ant with a snow white beard who loves kisses and tickling and little girl ants that look like cats and....

      --
      soylentnews.org Go there to enjoy the people!
    2. Re:maximum age crystals by dragisha · · Score: 3, Funny

      Scientists have discovered small crystals embedded in the ants' palms that turn to a different color when the ant's maximum age has been reached. However, in one colony they observed two ants trying to escape this fate by running away from the colony and finding sanctuary. Other ants were tasks with hunting down the two runners and terminating them.

      I heard they termitted them, eventually.

      --
      http://opencm3.net, http://www.nongnu.org/gm2/
  3. This close... by TheInternetGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was this close ( > ) to start mocking the submitter about misspelling Thermite. Luckily, for once I did read TFS.

    --
    If my comment didn't sound as good in your head as it did in mine, then I guess we all know who's to blame
  4. Obligatory: by Hartree · · Score: 4, Funny

    "We are the Judean People's Front crack suicide squad! "

  5. Annnnd... by Nidi62 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Boom goes the termite.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  6. Re:They don't explode in the video by Megahard · · Score: 4, Funny

    There's plenty other videos on the internet of things swelling up, dribbling, and exploding.

    --
    I eat only the real part of complex carbohydrates.
  7. Agism in the Workplace? by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Older workers carry the largest and most toxic backpacks. Those individuals also, not coincidentally, are the least able to forage and tend for the colony: their mandibles become dull and worn as the termites age

    "and get off my #@!& lawn!" KABOOOM!
       

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  8. Re:The suicide bombers of the insect world. by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    no, they just want the pleasures of 72 maggots.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  9. Suicide bombing by the elderly? Blue crystals? by Ellis+D.+Tripp · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sounds like these little guys have been watching too much Breaking Bad....

    --
    Remember "News for Nerds, Stuff that Matters"? Help make it a reality again! http://soylentnews.org
  10. Re:Exploding ants by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So basically what you're saying is, in order to create banelings, they ... require more minerals?