dinner is served

Watch: Ant "milk" acts as powerful elixir for entire colonies

A feast fit for an ant.

by Jennifer Walter
Adult ants hold small, wriggly larvae up to pupae to drink the milk
Daniel Kronauer

dikkyoesin1/RooM/Getty Images

Ants may be small, but they’re impressively capable.

They build intricate colonies, can lift up to 5000 times their own body weight, and have adapted to live in nearly every climate on Earth.

But one of their lesser-known specialties is their ability to make milk.

No, we humans won’t be drinking it anytime soon. Instead, it’s a nutritious staple for several species of larval and adult ants.

martinkuehrer / 500px/500px/Getty Images
Tap