All hail myrmecophiles!
Beetles from Mars???
Nope. They are Paussus: The quintessential trojan horses of the insect world. Obligate myrmecophiles that fly under the ants’ radar, achieve royalty status in the ant colony, dupe the ants into feeding their young, all the while preying upon the ants and their brood. 🤯
Nope. They are Paussus: The quintessential trojan horses of the insect world. Obligate myrmecophiles that fly under the ants’ radar, achieve royalty status in the ant colony, dupe the ants into feeding their young, all the while preying upon the ants and their brood. 🤯
November 24, 2024 at 12:32 PM
All hail myrmecophiles!
(11/12) I’ll leave you with this composite image of myrmecophiles found with Megaponera analis at Mpala Research Center in Kenya. A leaf beetle larva, a bristletail, and two rove beetles.
January 31, 2025 at 6:15 PM
(11/12) I’ll leave you with this composite image of myrmecophiles found with Megaponera analis at Mpala Research Center in Kenya. A leaf beetle larva, a bristletail, and two rove beetles.
Myrmecophiles mentioned aaaaaaaaaaa
The desert ant cricket, Myrmecophilus manni, also just a little guy
The desert ant cricket, Myrmecophilus manni, also just a little guy
December 3, 2024 at 6:37 AM
Myrmecophiles mentioned aaaaaaaaaaa
The desert ant cricket, Myrmecophilus manni, also just a little guy
The desert ant cricket, Myrmecophilus manni, also just a little guy
Thanks a lot for the information Adam. I am myself super fascinated by the myrmecophiles, I had never heard of this species. I am working myself on a series of myrmecophiles in Belgium, but still a lot of work to do. Here one of my favourite ones: Batrisodes oculatus, living in Lasius ant nests.
May 8, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Thanks a lot for the information Adam. I am myself super fascinated by the myrmecophiles, I had never heard of this species. I am working myself on a series of myrmecophiles in Belgium, but still a lot of work to do. Here one of my favourite ones: Batrisodes oculatus, living in Lasius ant nests.
Myrmecophiles!
Think this Rove beetle is Lomechosa pubicollis
Who live their lives in and around Southern wood ant nests. Sat watching for an hour, the wood ants weren’t as aggressive as the Dorset variety. First beetle was coming and going over and in the nest with complete impunity, not sure on ID of second.
Who live their lives in and around Southern wood ant nests. Sat watching for an hour, the wood ants weren’t as aggressive as the Dorset variety. First beetle was coming and going over and in the nest with complete impunity, not sure on ID of second.
September 6, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Myrmecophiles!
(8/12) Finally, Megaponera colonies harbor a lot of interesting guest insects, or myrmecophiles. Here’s a cute little rove beetle marching along during a nest emigration (like army ants, Megaponera colonies frequently relocate).
January 31, 2025 at 2:36 PM
(8/12) Finally, Megaponera colonies harbor a lot of interesting guest insects, or myrmecophiles. Here’s a cute little rove beetle marching along during a nest emigration (like army ants, Megaponera colonies frequently relocate).
Rove beetles of the genus Tetradonia patrol the periphery of army ant columns, snatch weak or injured ants off the trail, and pull them into the leaf litter where they consume them. These predators are one of the many myrmecophiles, or ant guests, associated with army ant colonies.
January 12, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Rove beetles of the genus Tetradonia patrol the periphery of army ant columns, snatch weak or injured ants off the trail, and pull them into the leaf litter where they consume them. These predators are one of the many myrmecophiles, or ant guests, associated with army ant colonies.
Many here know that my first beetle loves were myrmecophiles. Here are a couple Pselaphines, genus Fustiger. They were collected in litter samples, so how do we know they're myrmecophiles? They have abdominal trichomes on the abdomen, hair tufts that mediate interactions with their ant hosts.
November 21, 2024 at 9:57 PM
Many here know that my first beetle loves were myrmecophiles. Here are a couple Pselaphines, genus Fustiger. They were collected in litter samples, so how do we know they're myrmecophiles? They have abdominal trichomes on the abdomen, hair tufts that mediate interactions with their ant hosts.
Today I found a few Haeterius clown beetles under a rock with a Formica ant colony. These beetles are “ant guests” / myrmecophiles, and the ants often feed them. The beetles are tiny though, even compared to the ants. Also check out the springtails. Thanks to Joe Parker for the 🪲 ID. Woodstock, NY.
April 14, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Today I found a few Haeterius clown beetles under a rock with a Formica ant colony. These beetles are “ant guests” / myrmecophiles, and the ants often feed them. The beetles are tiny though, even compared to the ants. Also check out the springtails. Thanks to Joe Parker for the 🪲 ID. Woodstock, NY.
man i should have KNOWN that anything that weirdly shaped is some kind of myrmecophile or adjacent lifestyle. myrmecophiles always have the most insane morphology
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 AM
man i should have KNOWN that anything that weirdly shaped is some kind of myrmecophile or adjacent lifestyle. myrmecophiles always have the most insane morphology
Today I found a few Haeterius clown beetles under a rock with a Formica ant colony. These beetles are “ant guests” / myrmecophiles, and the ants often feed them. The beetles are tiny though, even compared to the ants. Also check out the springtails. Thanks to Joe Parker for the 🪲 ID. Woodstock, NY.
April 14, 2025 at 1:57 AM
A bristletail, Trichatelura manni, against the backdrop of its Eciton burchellii army ant host workers during a colony emigration at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.
March 8, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Like their doryline counterparts, Leptogenys army ants host diverse communities of guest insects. Here are two of these myrmecophiles, a silverfish (possibly Malayatelura ponerophila) and a featherwing beetle (ptiliidae), both hitching a ride on pupae that the ants carry. Danum Valley, Sabah.
February 16, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Like their doryline counterparts, Leptogenys army ants host diverse communities of guest insects. Here are two of these myrmecophiles, a silverfish (possibly Malayatelura ponerophila) and a featherwing beetle (ptiliidae), both hitching a ride on pupae that the ants carry. Danum Valley, Sabah.
Le saviez-vous ? De nombreuses espèces de plantes et d’animaux profitent des fourmis 🐜.
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrm%C3...
#LeSaviezVous #DidYouKnow
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrm%C3...
#LeSaviezVous #DidYouKnow
August 12, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Le saviez-vous ? De nombreuses espèces de plantes et d’animaux profitent des fourmis 🐜.
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrm%C3...
#LeSaviezVous #DidYouKnow
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrm%C3...
#LeSaviezVous #DidYouKnow
Two weeks ago, we had our MonitAnt workshop with all project partners in the beautiful Bavarian Forest National Park. We even managed a short field trip, where everyone enjoyed being surrounded by wood ants and their myrmecophiles (see picture). 😉
May 4, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Two weeks ago, we had our MonitAnt workshop with all project partners in the beautiful Bavarian Forest National Park. We even managed a short field trip, where everyone enjoyed being surrounded by wood ants and their myrmecophiles (see picture). 😉
🧪 Ever heard of the blue butterflies whose larvae imitate the acoustic cues & odors of ants to invade their nests? They fool the ants into nurturing them as "baby queens." Obligatory myrmecophiles are fascinating! 🦋 🐜 Here's a 2014 piece about them, from Clive Cookson/FT www.ft.com/content/3c3a...
Entomology: A caterpillar cuckoo in the ants’ nest
The remarkable life cycle of Large Blue butterflies
www.ft.com
March 17, 2024 at 11:59 PM
🧪 Ever heard of the blue butterflies whose larvae imitate the acoustic cues & odors of ants to invade their nests? They fool the ants into nurturing them as "baby queens." Obligatory myrmecophiles are fascinating! 🦋 🐜 Here's a 2014 piece about them, from Clive Cookson/FT www.ft.com/content/3c3a...
Beetles from Mars???
Nope. They are Paussus: The quintessential trojan horses of the insect world. Obligate myrmecophiles that fly under the ants’ radar, achieve royalty status in the ant colony, dupe the ants into feeding their young, all the while preying upon the ants and their brood. 🤯
Nope. They are Paussus: The quintessential trojan horses of the insect world. Obligate myrmecophiles that fly under the ants’ radar, achieve royalty status in the ant colony, dupe the ants into feeding their young, all the while preying upon the ants and their brood. 🤯
November 24, 2024 at 1:36 AM
Beetles from Mars???
Nope. They are Paussus: The quintessential trojan horses of the insect world. Obligate myrmecophiles that fly under the ants’ radar, achieve royalty status in the ant colony, dupe the ants into feeding their young, all the while preying upon the ants and their brood. 🤯
Nope. They are Paussus: The quintessential trojan horses of the insect world. Obligate myrmecophiles that fly under the ants’ radar, achieve royalty status in the ant colony, dupe the ants into feeding their young, all the while preying upon the ants and their brood. 🤯
At first i thought this (Rove)beetle was being attacked by an ant and dragged back as food, however after a little more research i believe this beetle to be ant parasite ( Myrmecophiles) and it releases a chemical to somehow fool the ant into taking back to its nest, Inverts are truly incredible
April 28, 2026 at 10:13 PM
At first i thought this (Rove)beetle was being attacked by an ant and dragged back as food, however after a little more research i believe this beetle to be ant parasite ( Myrmecophiles) and it releases a chemical to somehow fool the ant into taking back to its nest, Inverts are truly incredible
@monitant.bsky.social brings me back to the forest to enjoy these fascinating creatures—the Red Wood Ants! These ants act as natural pest control, serve as host species for many myrmecophiles, and are keystone organisms of forests. Yet, their existence is endangered. Aren’t they worth protecting?! 🐜
June 26, 2025 at 6:20 PM
@monitant.bsky.social brings me back to the forest to enjoy these fascinating creatures—the Red Wood Ants! These ants act as natural pest control, serve as host species for many myrmecophiles, and are keystone organisms of forests. Yet, their existence is endangered. Aren’t they worth protecting?! 🐜
I love myrmecophiles! Mastigusa have arguably the best palps in the spider kingdom
February 12, 2025 at 10:27 AM
I love myrmecophiles! Mastigusa have arguably the best palps in the spider kingdom
At the Mori Fest, I had a "discovery moment" listening to the talk given by Dr. Takashi Komatsu, an expert on myrmecophiles. He mentioned treehoppers in symbiosis with ants and I finally figured out the proper names of the creatures I found in the garden of summerhouse in Karuizawa 50 years ago.
June 30, 2024 at 9:14 AM
At the Mori Fest, I had a "discovery moment" listening to the talk given by Dr. Takashi Komatsu, an expert on myrmecophiles. He mentioned treehoppers in symbiosis with ants and I finally figured out the proper names of the creatures I found in the garden of summerhouse in Karuizawa 50 years ago.
Source de ce court fil : _The Guests of Ants: How Myrmecophiles Interact with Their Hosts_ de Bert Hölldobler et Christina L. Kwapich (2022). Inclut une photo d'Alfred, feu le conjoint de Blanc 003, en plein formicage
June 8, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Source de ce court fil : _The Guests of Ants: How Myrmecophiles Interact with Their Hosts_ de Bert Hölldobler et Christina L. Kwapich (2022). Inclut une photo d'Alfred, feu le conjoint de Blanc 003, en plein formicage
New short communication! 📄
Oxman et al. observed these isopods following Messor ant trails, likely for resource access or obstacle-free paths, with minimal ant aggression. 🐾
doi.org/10.1007/s000...
#InsectesSociaux #SocialInsects #Isopods #AntTrails #Myrmecophiles #AnimalBehavior #UrbanEcology
Oxman et al. observed these isopods following Messor ant trails, likely for resource access or obstacle-free paths, with minimal ant aggression. 🐾
doi.org/10.1007/s000...
#InsectesSociaux #SocialInsects #Isopods #AntTrails #Myrmecophiles #AnimalBehavior #UrbanEcology
December 13, 2024 at 7:56 AM
New short communication! 📄
Oxman et al. observed these isopods following Messor ant trails, likely for resource access or obstacle-free paths, with minimal ant aggression. 🐾
doi.org/10.1007/s000...
#InsectesSociaux #SocialInsects #Isopods #AntTrails #Myrmecophiles #AnimalBehavior #UrbanEcology
Oxman et al. observed these isopods following Messor ant trails, likely for resource access or obstacle-free paths, with minimal ant aggression. 🐾
doi.org/10.1007/s000...
#InsectesSociaux #SocialInsects #Isopods #AntTrails #Myrmecophiles #AnimalBehavior #UrbanEcology
#LiteratureNotice Parker et al. Evolution of leafcutter ant myrmecophiles: #Hamotus heidiae, a new symbiont of Acromyrmex colonies with undetectable hydrocarbons (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) doi.org/10.1007/s000... #Beetle #Beetles #leafcutterants #rovebeetles #symbiosis
January 25, 2026 at 1:43 AM
#LiteratureNotice Parker et al. Evolution of leafcutter ant myrmecophiles: #Hamotus heidiae, a new symbiont of Acromyrmex colonies with undetectable hydrocarbons (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) doi.org/10.1007/s000... #Beetle #Beetles #leafcutterants #rovebeetles #symbiosis
Quite a few arthropods are myrmecophiles ("ant loving" creatures). I found this tiny (about 8-9 mm.) pupa under a rock in an ant nest. Looks moth-y to me. Habitat was juniper/sagebrush scrub in Montana's Pryor Mountains. Do any ant or lep experts know what this bristly pupa might be? #insects 🐙🌿
May 20, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Quite a few arthropods are myrmecophiles ("ant loving" creatures). I found this tiny (about 8-9 mm.) pupa under a rock in an ant nest. Looks moth-y to me. Habitat was juniper/sagebrush scrub in Montana's Pryor Mountains. Do any ant or lep experts know what this bristly pupa might be? #insects 🐙🌿