Ants | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/ants/RSS feed for AntsenThu, 16 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0000These Tiny Ants Crawled All Over Larger Ants and Licked Them Clean. Scientists Aren't Sure How This Behavior Benefits Any of Themhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-tiny-ants-crawled-all-over-larger-ants-and-licked-them-clean-scientists-arent-sure-how-this-behavior-benefits-any-of-them-180988555/After witnessing the interactions in an Arizona desert, a Smithsonian researcher suggests that the little ants picked off tasty treats and that the big ants got thoroughly groomed in hard-to-reach placesThu, 16 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-tiny-ants-crawled-all-over-larger-ants-and-licked-them-clean-scientists-arent-sure-how-this-behavior-benefits-any-of-them-180988555/