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intrinsicallylinkedlife: Honeypot Ants
Honeypot ants, also called honey ants, are ants which are gorged with food by workers, to the point that their abdomens swell enormously. Other ants then extract nourishment from them. They function essentially as living larders.
Many insects, notably honey bees and some wasps, collect and store liquid for use at a later date. However, these insects store their food within their nest or in combs. Honey ants are unique in using their own bodies as living storage, but they have more function than just storing food. Some store liquids, body fat, and water from insect prey brought to them by worker ants. They can later serve as a food source for their fellow ants when food is otherwise scarce.
Honeypot ants such as Camponotus inflatus are edible and form an occasional part of the diet of various Australian Aboriginal peoples.
