A tapeworm infection dramatically alters worker ants, making them live much longer. These infected ants exhibit physiological changes that partially resemble queen ants. Their fat bodies show a queen-like metabolic profile, while their brains become less active. Scientists found the parasite influences ants indirectly by altering their biological control systems. This unusual relationship offers a new model for studying aging and host manipulation.

Deep inside the damp leaf litter of the Lenneberg Forest near Mainz, Germany, tiny worker ants of the species Temnothorax nylanderi are living surprisingly long lives. While a…

A tapeworm infection dramatically alters worker ants, making them live much longer. These infected ants exhibit physiological changes that partially resemble queen ants. Their…