Predatory
beetles eavesdrop on ants' chemical conversations to find best egg-laying sites
ANN ARBOR,
Mich.—Predatory beetles can detect the unique alarm signal released by ants
that are under attack by parasitic flies, and the beetles use those overheard
conversations to guide their search for safe egg-laying sites on coffee bushes.
Azteca
instabilis ants patrol coffee bushes and emit chemical alarm signals when
they're under attack by phorid flies. In an article published online July 27 in
the journal Ecology and Evolution, University of Michigan researchers and their
colleagues show that pregnant lady beetles intercept the ants' alarm
pheromones, which let the beetles know that it's safe to deposit their eggs.
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