Wasps drink special nectar to self-medicate

Wasps can tell when a parasite infiltrates their body, and to get rid of the unwelcome guests they seek out a type of nectar that’s not only a sweet source of food, but a pretty potent antiparasite medicine, says Discover magazine.

The collection of compounds responsible for the decline in parasites (including nicotine) can cut the infection by 50%, the researchers report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.


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