Open wounds are a major health risk in animals, with species prone to injuries likely developing means to reduce these risks. We therefore analysed the behavioural response towards open wounds on the social and individual level in the termite group-hunting ant During termite raids, some ants get injured by termite soldiers (biting off extremities), after the fight injured ants get carried back to the nest by nest-mates. We observed treatment of the injury by nest-mates inside the nest through intense allogrooming at the wound. Lack of treatment increased mortality from 10% to 80% within 24 h, most likely due to infections. Wound clotting occurred extraordinarily fast in untreated injured individuals, within 10 min. Furthermore, heavily injured ants (loss of five extremities) were not rescued or treated; this was regulated not by the helper but by the unresponsiveness of the injured ant. Interestingly, lightly injured ants behaved 'more injured' near nest-mates. We show organized social wound treatment in insects through a multifaceted help system focused on injured individuals. This was not only limited to selective rescuing of lightly injured individuals by carrying them back (thus reducing predation risk), but, moreover, included a differentiated treatment inside the nest.

1. Recent reports on bee health suggest that sublethal doses of pesticides have negative effects on wild bee reproduction and ultimately on their population growth.2. Females of the solitary horned mason bee Osmia cornuta, evaluate thoracic vibrations and odours of males to assess male quality. When certain criteria are met, the female accepts the male and copulates. However, these signals were found to be modified by sublethal doses of pesticides in other hymenopterans. Here, we tested whether sublethal doses of a commonly used fungicide (Fenbuconazole) impact male quality signals and mating success in O. cornuta. Males exposed to fenbuconazole exhibited reduced thoracic vibrations and an al-tered cuticular hydrocarbon profile compared to the control bees. Moreover, males exposed to the fungicide were less successful in mating than control males. Synthesis and applications.Our results indicate that a low toxicity fungicide can negatively affect male reproductive success by altering behavioural and chemical cues. This could explain the decreasing pollinator populations in a pesticidepolluted environment. This study highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach, including behaviour and chemical cues, when testing new pesticides and a more cautionary approach to the pesticides already used on crops.

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