Myrmecophile

From Freepedia

A myrmecophile is a type of organism, usually an insect, that habitually shares ant nests.

Examples of the many diverse insect species which are myrmecophilous include:

• the ladybird Thalassa saginata
• the cricket Myrmecophilus kinomurai
• the stratiomyid fly Clitellaria obtusa
• most caterpillars of the lycaenidae Blues, Coppers & Hairtails butterfly family
• and many beetles

Some non-insect species are also considered myrmecophilous or semi-myrmecophilous.

The myrmecphile's role varies; many consume the ants' leftover food, dead ants or larvae, or types of fungi growing in the nest.

The first major work in cataloguing British myrmecophiles was done by Horace Donisthorpe in his book of 1927, The Guests of British Ants.