OCT 07, 2019

Watch An Ant Colony Attack This Crab Like a Bunch of Savages

WRITTEN BY: Anthony Bouchard

Ants have a particularly striking reputation for being somewhat relentless, and as it would seem, such a reputation doesn’t fetter even when the animals they torment are significantly larger than they are.

In this video, we witness a freshwater crab that has wandered too far from its moist habitat and finds itself being attacked by an ant colony. At first, you might think that the heavily-armored crab will be able to hold its own against the ants, but it doesn’t take long before the savage insects find a way in…

The ants exploit the soft tissues in the grab’s joints and mouth, effectively tearing holes open with their powerful saw-like mandibles. After forcefully excavating their own entrance, other ants crawl right into the crab’s shell, permitting them to eat away at the crustacean’s muscles and soft tissues.

Indeed, there’s power in numbers no matter how small you might be; just as the ants. Unfortunately, the crab won’t live to tell the tale.