Insect olfaction gustatory, ionotropic, and olfactory receptors and “distorts” other odorants interaction with those receptors. Insect olfaction Insect olfaction refers to the function of chemical receptors that enable insects to detect and identify volatile compounds for foraging, predator avoidance, finding mating partners (via pheromones) and locating oviposition habitats. Thus, it is the most important sensation for insects. Most important insect behaviors must be timed perfectly which is dependent on what they smell and when they smell it. For example, olfaction is essential for hunting in many species of wasps, including "Polybia sericea". The two organs insects primarily use for detecting odors are
Thanasimus formicarius "Picea" for oviposition. Some experiments suggested that bark thickness could be a critical factor limiting pupation of "T. formicarius" on spruce. Possible mimicry: The shape of the body and coloration of ant beetles resemble those of velvet ants from the genera "Mutilla" that can be seen on the same places with ant beetles. Velvet ants are famous for their painful stinging. Thanasimus formicarius The ant beetle ("Thanasimus formicarius"), also known as the European red-bellied clerid, is a medium size insect, rather soft-bodied, with strong mandibles that can tear between the hard sclerotized integument of bark beetles. Larvae and adults are