A parasitic ant is a type of ant that exploits the social structure of

another ant species for its own survival and reproduction. The most

common types of parasitic ants infiltrate a colony of a closely related

species by using pheromones identical to those of the colony's workers

to avoid conflict and blend in. The parasite lays eggs alongside

existing ones for the host colony's worker ants to raise and nurture.

Other parasitic ants transport the host colony's pupae and larvae back

to the parasite's colony, where the brood will be raised as their own.

The host brood that were transported are unable to differentiate between

the parasites and their own colony, and serve as worker ants for the

parasites. Some parasites have adapted their anatomy to reflect that of

the hosts, allowing them to remain undetected for much of their

lifespans. Parasites usually cause harmful effects to the target colony

and can inhibit the colony's growth and development.

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Today's selected anniversaries:

1886:

After more than 25 years of fighting against the United States

Army and the armed forces of Mexico, Geronimo of the Chiricahua Apache

surrendered at Skeleton Canyon in Arizona.

1920:

Peasants in and around Križ began a rebellion to protest

economic and conscription policies enacted by the Kingdom of Serbs,

Croats and Slovenes.

1957:

Governor Orval Faubus deployed the Arkansas National Guard to

prevent nine African-American students from attending Little Rock

Central High School (pictured).

2007:

Three terrorists suspected to be part of al-Qaeda were arrested

in Germany after planning attacks on Frankfurt Airport and Ramstein Air

Base.

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Wiktionary's word of the day:

enviable:

Arousing or likely to arouse envy.

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Wikiquote quote of the day:

  One does not learn how to die by killing others.  

--François-René de Chateaubriand

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