But if the injury was located on the lower leg, or tibia, the ants would only intensively lick the wound, resulting in a survival rate of 75%.

Meanwhile, ants with leg injuries that were kept away from their nestmates, so that they didn’t get this treatment, frequently died.

Some ants herd aphids. Some farm fungi. And now, scientists have realized that when an ant injures its leg, it sometimes will turn to a buddy to perform a lifesaving limb amputation.

Florida carpenter ants were observed cleaning wounds and carrying out leg amputations to save the lives of their nestmates, according to a new study.

They found that the ants always died. Frank and his colleagues were puzzling over why amputation solely seemed to work for upper-leg injuries, until they closely studied the leg's anatomy.

Florida carpenter ants were observed cleaning wounds and carrying out leg amputations to save the lives of their nestmates, according to a new study. CNN values your feedback 1.

Lab experiments show that some ants will treat the injured legs of comrades, and when it's necessary will even perform medical amputations.Photo by Bart Zijlstra, UNIL - When an ant injures its leg, ...

Interestingly, ants would only perform an amputation when an injury was high up on an ant’s leg, close to the middle of its body. Wounds lower down on the leg didn’t elicit this treatment ...

Meanwhile, ants with leg injuries that were kept away from their nestmates, so that they didn't get this treatment, frequently died. ... until they closely studied the leg's anatomy.