In biology, limb amputations remove damaged limbs from severe injuries or infections. This is not just for humans. Recent research shows ants also do this to help injured fellow ants survive. The study focused on Florida carpenter ants, Camponotus floridanus, found in the southeastern United States. These ants are reddish-brown and about half an inch (1.5 cm) long, living in rotting wood and actively defending their nests against opposing colonies.

Researchers observed ants caring for injured nestmates by cleaning wounds with their mouths or biting off damaged limbs. They decided to amputate based on where the injury was; usually higher-up limbs were removed, but lower-limb injuries were less often treated this way. This behavior was described in a study in the journal Current Biology by entomologist Erik Frank from the University of Würzburg, Germany. It is the first proof that animals other than humans use amputations to help injured peers. Frank said this “medical system” is as advanced as human medicine. Ants decide based on hemolymph flow, like an insect’s blood, which affects how well amputations work. Injuries higher up allow more time for effective treatment, but lower leg injuries are faster to get infected, making amputations less helpful. Even though these ants do not have the same antibiotic gland secretions as other ants, they survive a lot through careful wound care and strategic amputations.