Mutillidae durable, the exoskeleton is also round, making it more difficult for predators to pierce it with attempted stings or bites. During all the trials that led to the fracture of a velvet ant’s exoskeleton, a total of 4 times, resulted in the death of that velvet ant within 24 hours. Thus aside from protection from predators, the exoskeleton provides a function maintaining moisture control. Male mutillids fly in search of females; after mating, the female enters a host insect nest, typically a ground-nesting bee or wasp burrow, and deposits one egg near each larva or pupa. Only a few species
Longhorn crazy ant are omnivorous and feed on seeds, dead invertebrates, honeydew, plant secretions, fruit and a range of household scraps. Large food items may be moved by several ants working together. They consume honeydew predominantly in spring and autumn and may tend aphids, mealybugs and scale insects so as to maximise the secretions they produce. During the summer they preferentially seek a high protein diet. In buildings, they collect crumbs and the insect corpses found under lights. The longhorn crazy ant is able to invade new habitats and out-compete other species of ant. In 1991, in the large closed dome of the