Suicide Bomber Ant

The global terrorism acts that have caused such pain and devastation have been possible due to suicide bombers. However if this science project is to be believed suicide bombing is not limited to the human race, in fact the insect kingdom claims its own suicide bomber ant.

At the University of Leuven in Belgium researcher John Billen has been making a study of the southeast Asian carpenter ant which is known as Camponotus cylindricus. This little creature can turn into a suicide bomber to kill enemies of the ant colony.

The ant actually explodes sacs of venom when it is threatened covering the enemy with a sticky and toxic secretion. The explosion is triggered when the pressure on the glands placed under the length of the body is increased by the abdominal muscles. The explosion brings out the poison. This coating of toxins is usually enough to stall any enemy of the ant colony.

However the exploding of the venom sacs is a last resort of the ant as per the researcher doing the science project. The insect will first defend itself by biting the enemy. The bite will pass on a poisonous cocktail of aromatic hydrocarbons. If that does not work the ant will then pump its abdominal muscles to cause the sacs to explode ending its own life and saving its colony.