 If an ant is crushed, a huge blast of this chemical is released, causing the entire colony to go into "battle mode".The thorax contains muscles to operate the legs and wings and the nerve cells to co-ordinate their movements; also contained in this part of the body is the heart and oesophagus.The abdomen contains the stomachs, poison glands, ovaries in the queen, and the Dufour's gland, among other things.