Monday, December 3, 2012

Translucent Ants Photographed Eating Colored Liquids


The saying 'you are what you eat' is true for these insects as stunning pictures show their abdomens changing colour as they sip on sugar drops.

Dr Babu, from Mysore, in South India took photographs in his garden after his wife, Shameem, showed him some ants had turned white after drinking spilt milk.

He gave the creatures the brightly coloured sugar drops and watched as their transparent stomachs matched the food they were eating.

'As the ant's abdomen is semi-transparent, the ants gain the colours as they sip the liquid. The secret is the paraffin base, which prevents the drops collapsing when the ants touch them.' -Dr.B

Pretty Neat-o Dr. B - i hope the paraffin was safe for them to consume.