More Than 200 Bird Species Rub Ants on Their Feathers to Kill Lice
Dolphins might do something similar, rubbing against corals and sponges that might help with skin disease.
Short Wave · How scientists discovered that animals are doctors, tooMore than 200 bird species rub ants on their feathers to kill lice. They grip ants with their beaks and work them across their feathers, working the insects through the plumage.
The habit is called anting. When rubbed this way, the ants spray formic acid. That acid kills lice on the birds.
Dolphins might do something similar. They might press and slide their bodies along coral and sea sponges, pressing their skin along the surfaces. Scientists describe that behavior as a possible treatment for skin disease.
Questions people ask
Does anting actually work against lice?
Yes. Formic acid kills feather lice and mites on contact in laboratory tests, and it repels many other small insects. That chemistry is why scientists treat anting as pest control rather than just a strange fondness for ants.
What would corals and sponges do for dolphin skin?
Corals and sponges are rich in bioactive chemicals, including compounds that fight bacteria and fungi and calm inflammation. Researchers who watched bottlenose dolphins rub repeatedly on particular sponges and corals found those species contain such compounds in their mucus and tissue.