Ants produce life-saving antibiotics for treating infected wounds.

In the photo, a Matabele ant tends to the wounds of a fellow ant whose legs were bitten off by termites.

It has been known for some time now that chemicals produced by certain ants have antibiotic properties. For the first time ever, however, one species of ant has recently been observed actually using those chemicals to treat infected battle wounds on others of its kind.

The species in question, the Matabele ant (Megaponera analis), is found in various regions of Africa south of the Sahara Desert.