Myrmecophile facts for kids
A myrmecophile (say: mur-MEK-oh-file) is an animal that lives closely with ants. These animals can be like helpful friends to the ants, or they might be more like sneaky guests, sometimes even eating the ants' food or the ants themselves!
Contents
Ant Roommates: Myrmecophiles
Many myrmecophiles act like a clean-up crew in ant nests. They eat waste, such as dead ants or tiny fungi that grow inside the nest. This helps keep the ants' home tidy.
Tiny Helpers: Aphids
Some myrmecophiles make food that the ants can eat. Aphids are a great example. They make a sweet liquid called honeydew. Ants love this honeydew! They will even "farm" or tend to aphids, protecting them from other animals so they can keep making this tasty treat. It's a bit like ants having their own tiny dairy cows.
Butterflies and Ants
One special group of butterflies also lives with ants. Their caterpillars sometimes make food for the ants. In return, the ants help protect the caterpillars. They keep away other animals that might want to eat or hurt the caterpillars. This partnership helps both the butterflies and the ants.
Other Ant Roommates
Many other animals also live with ants. These include some beetles, flies, mites, and spiders. For example, flies in a group called Microdon live in ant nests. They might eat waste or even eat young ant larvae. Each of these animals has a unique way of living alongside ants.
Images for kids
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Ant obtaining honeydew from an aphid
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A leaf-hopper nymph tended by an ant
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Ant tending a Lycaenid caterpillar
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Loxura atymnus is famous for consuming nectar secreted from the extrafloral nectaries stimulated by the ants. Here they are on a Philippine orchid bud along with some yellow crazy ants.
See also
In Spanish: Mirmecófilo para niños
