Teaching overview
Learning points
- Matabele ants carry out attacks on termite nests because their diet is made up entirely of termites.
- An ant that is injured releases a chemical called a pheromone, which lets the other ants know that it needs help.
- Injured ants are carried safely home to their nest, where other ants care for their wounds by licking them.
Curriculum keywords
- Invertebrates
- Medicine
- Colonies
Read the story
A study has found that a type of African ant takes care of its wounded soldiers after battle.
Share with students
Spark a discussion
- Why do you think the Matabele ants rescue their injured soldiers? Do they feel sympathy for them?
- How do you think the Matabele ants are able to carry out attacks successfully on termite colonies much bigger than their own?
- Can you think of any other animals that give medical help to others?
Twig Science: A Complete Pre-K–8 Program for the NGSS
Immersive Investigations with High-Quality Multimedia
- Investigating, designing, building, and understanding phenomena
- Hands-on, digital, video, and print investigations
- Synchronous/asynchronous distance learning