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The cause of suicide is found in the behavior of bees and ants
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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In the United States, a group of experts said that ants and bees will help to understand the true reasons why people commit suicide. According to the researchers, an in-depth study of these insects will help to understand why people take this desperate step. The experts noted that both ants and bees have a common feature with people - just like us, these insects prefer to live in a large group, this fact forced the experts to conduct such a study.
At the University of Florida, a group of specialists observed the behavior of insects to find out the reasons for suicide among people. Previously, scientists had already determined that a certain psychological disorder leads to suicide. In-depth study of the life of insects, which, like people, prefer to live in large groups, led scientists to the idea that insects are prone to showing goodwill and special attention, which can be attributed to highly organized social behavior, inherent in people. In addition to goodwill, this type of relationship includes care for newborns and old individuals, i.e. the desire to preserve life in the current life situations that are quite natural for society.
In addition, during their observations, the researchers found that self-sacrifice is also an action characteristic of this type of relationship in society, namely, self-sacrifice, according to scientists, is suicide.
Scientists have established that genetic predisposition can have a significant impact on suicidal tendencies, but in some cases a person may decide to commit suicide after a severe mental shock.
The experts also noted that the main goal of their observation of insect behavior is to determine the main reason why a person deliberately takes his own life.
It is worth noting that bees also interested scientists from the University of Pennsylvania, where it was proven that the desire to selflessly care for the well-being of others is genetically embedded in these insects.
According to experts, bees give the impression of peaceful and hardworking insects, however, in reality this is not entirely true. With the help of experiments, experts have proven that bees have significant differences in female and male DNA, and that there is a kind of rivalry between genes.
After observing a bee colony, scientists were able to find out that the death of the queen in the hive leads to some bees stopping caring for their own home and starting to act solely for their own benefit. The working bees continue to maintain order in the hive, and they outnumber all other bees.
Experts explained this behavior by the fact that male genes are responsible for selfish behavior, and female genes are responsible for cooperative behavior. There is always only one queen in the hive and her DNA prevails among the bee family, but due to the fact that the fathers are different, some insects have an unequal set of genes, which affects their behavior.