Ant nest beetle Subtribe Paussina Subtribe Pentaplatarthrina Ant nest beetle Ant nest beetles (subfamily Paussinae) or paussines, some members of which are known also as flanged bombardier beetles, are a large subfamily within the ground beetles (Carabidae). The tribes Metriini, Ozaenini, Paussini and Protopaussini are included in the subfamily. Rarely seen, most Paussinae are obligate or facultative myrmecophiles, living within the nests of ants, predatory on ant larvae and workers. Many have elaborate antennal structures and body parts flattened. Paussines are moderate sized (6–20 mm), characterised by glandular hairs that produce secretions attractive to ants and by the odd antennal structures of many
Red harvester ant the nest as a result of an increase in successful returning foragers. Relative abundance of food available is gauged by the average time spent foraging per seed, rather than the distance traveled to find each seed. Foragers take less time when food is more abundant. Faster foraging signals faster rates of outgoing foragers, maximizing the harvest of food relative to the abundance in the area. Seeds are used as a source of water for ants, and are often kept in the nest for a few months to several years. Interspecies competition exists between harvester ant populations, presenting challenges to successful