When Ants Explode

BY ELIZABETH PRESTON

CERTAIN ANTS in Southeast Asia have an unusual way of fighting back. When another bug bothers them, these ants explode. They cover the attacker in bright yellow, spicy-smelling goo. The fluid is toxic and tangles the attacker’s legs. The exploded ant dies—but its colony is a little safer. There are other types of exploding ants. But this is the first new exploding ant species that scientists have officially described since 1935. They named the species Colobopsis explodens. That’s a better name than what researchers called it until now: “yellow goo.” One of these stories is FALSE. Can you spot which one? The answer is on page 39.…

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Muse: The Magazine Of Science, Culture, And Smart Laughs For Kids And Children (Digital) - 1 Issue, November/December 2018

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