The amazing reason why Dracula ants feed on their own offspring

  • Dracula ants feed on their larvae
Dracula ants hunt for their young but can't eat solids themselves
 

Unbelievable though it may sound, the Adetomyrma genus from Madagascar, nicknamed Dracula ants, really do feed on the blood of their own larvae. Adult workers can't digest solid food, and that's why they hunt prey for their young to eat, and later on feed on the larvae's body fluids. This unusual strategy of non-destructive cannibalism closes the loop of this interesting food supply deal among the colony's generations.