'Highwaymen' Beetles Rob Ants of the Food in Their Stomachs

Jet ants mark their trails with hindgut secretions that contain a special blend of pheromones. Large numbers of foraging ants commute on these trails, transporting honeydew collected from aphids and other insects in their social stomachs, or crops.One particular species of sap beetle, Amphotis marginata, leads a specialized life on the foraging paths of these ant colonies. They obtain most of their nutrition by fooling food-laden ants into regurgitating meals for them.Read my latest story for New Scientist: 'Highwaymen' Beetles Rob Ants of the Food in Their Stomachs.