Ant nest beetle secretions on their antennae and body allow them to interact with ant workers. It is believed that the beetles use an acoustic mechanism to successfully imitate the sounds of an ant queen thus permitting them access to the nest without alarming the ants. The defensive bombardier behaviour is never used against ants. Males of some species are attracted to lights during some parts of the season and are thought to disperse from one ant nest to another. Males are thought to be short-lived. These beetles feed on ant eggs, larvae and adults by piercing their mandibles into the abdomen or
Pharaoh ant Thus, nest units may exchange individuals after budding occurs, further explaining their cooperative behavior. In Australia, "Monomorium" species is particularly successful. This fact is particularly curious because of the presence of a very aggressive ant family, "Iridomyrmex", which is quite proficient at interference competition. "Iridomyrmex" ants are able to quickly seek out food sources and prevent other ant species from reaching them. However, unlike other ant species, "Monomorium" species, despite their unaggressive nature and small size, are able to thrive even in areas where "Iridomyrmex" dominates. This success can be attributed to their efficient foraging strategy, and their novel use