Yes, ants can carry liquid.
Ants are capable of transporting liquids. The provided video excerpt demonstrates this, showing ants collecting liquid sugar. While some ant species have a social stomach (crop) used for storing and sharing food through trophallaxis (regurgitation), other species, like the Ponerinae mentioned in the video excerpt, lack this structure. These ants directly carry liquids, much like fetching water.
Here's a breakdown:
- Trophallaxis: This is the process where ants share food by regurgitating liquids from their crop (social stomach).
- Social Stomach (Crop): A specialized organ in some ant species for storing liquid food to be shared with the colony.
- Direct Carrying: Ant species lacking a social stomach carry liquids directly in their mandibles or on their bodies.
In summary, all ants are capable of carrying liquid, either internally via a social stomach or externally via their mouthparts. The method depends on the ant species.
