How does an ant know who belongs in its nest? Partly by smell! Oenocytes help make the waxy scent coat that covers an insect's body.
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Oenocytes (say "EE-no-sites") are found in insects like ants, bees, and fruit flies. They are big, round cells. Most sit in the belly part of the insect, close under the skin.
They often sit near the insect's fat body, which stores food energy. Together, these cells do some of the jobs your liver does for you, like handling fats.
When a fruit fly larva is hungry, its oenocytes fill up with fat drops, a bit like your liver does when you skip a meal.
Oenocytes turn fats into waxy chemicals. The wax travels out to the insect's hard outer skin and coats it.
Scroll up to the 3D model and press Send out wax. Next time you see ants on a sidewalk, watch them tap feelers when they meet!