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Parasitic queen ants infiltrate rival ant colonies and trigger workers to kill their own queen

The takeover relies on a chemical spray that masks the host queen’s scent as an enemy

New study reveals a rare, sophisticated form of social parasitism with no benefit to the queen mother or her offspring

Researchers have documented a stunning, and frankly ruthless, behavior unfolding inside certain ant colonies.

According to a new study published in Current Biology on Monday, Nov. 17, several species of parasitic ants have evolved a way to manipulate worker ants into killing their own queen — a form of matricide that biologists say has never been observed in this exact form.

The phenomenon centered on newly mated queens of Lasius orientalis and Lasius umbratus, species kno

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