Colobopsis explodens

Colobopsis explodens is a species of ant which is found in Southeast Asia. Like some other species in its genus, it is noted for a rare combat mechanism of workers exploding in self-defense, smothering the enemy with toxic and often deadly secretion. This suicidal defensive adaptation also occurs among some species of termites: it is termed autothysis, and as ants and termites are members of practically unrelated insect orders, it comprises a dramatic example of convergent evolution.

Defenses


The species was formerly known informally as "yellow goo", named after the brightly colored gunk produced by its exploding worker ants.

Territory
Their colonies can contain thousands of individual ants and inhabit the leafy canopies of trees that stand as tall as 197 ft and cover an area of at least 26,900 ft2.