Monday 3 November 2014

How beetles hack into ant colonies


33 minutes ago by Raymond Sanchez

Pretending to be one of them, ant-nest beetles trick ants to rear their brood—and then reward their hosts by devouring them. UA entomologists have discovered that the beetles evolve at an astonishing rate.

We've all heard the story of the Trojan horse, when unsuspecting Trojans opened their city's gate to a giant wooden horse, only to find themselves ambushed by the Greek soldiers hiding inside.

But did you know that the same scenario is constantly unfolding in the insect world?

Ant-nest beetles, which belong to the genus Paussus, are among the most bizarre and fascinating insects in the animal kingdom. By hacking the complex communication systems of ants, the beetles are able to not only live among the colony as royalty but simultaneously prey on its members and trick the ants into raising their young.


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