The black crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis. These like Anoplolepis gracilipes are surface ants. They are not burrowing subterranean ants. They nest in hollows and crevices and do not dig into the soil.
The queen of Paratrechina longicornis
Paratrechina longicornis are essentially squatter ants making use of hollow areas whether hole in ground or under stones and fallen branches to house their brood. And each period of rain after some dry spell they will be relocating as their nesting area getting flooded or wet.
Parasitic mites sucking the life juices off Paratrechina longicornis pupae.
These mites also feed on the pupae, attaching to bottom of the gaster. The pupae finally ends up as an empty shell (right).
The parasitic mite. This same mite or relate species also are parasites of Pheidole ants feeding on the pupae of the major workers.
Commensal cricket of Paratrechina longicornis. These crickets are technically parasites as they are just free loaders being fed by the ants. Or they could be their pets.
The commensal crickets of Paratrechina longicornis.
A larger species of these crickets (below it) are also found in the nest of Anoplolepis gracilipes.
See also:
Those Crazy Ants
Taxonomy:
No rank: cellular organisms 131567
Superkingdom (Domain): Eukaryota 2759
No rank: Opisthokonta 33154
Kingdom: Metazoa 33208
No rank: Eumetazoa 6072
No rank (Subkingdom): Bilateria 33213
No rank (Branch): Protostomia 33317
No rank (Infrakingdom): Ecdysozoa
No rank (Superphylum): Panarthropoda 88770
Phylum: Arthropoda 6656
No rank (Subphylum): Mandibulata 197563
No rank: Pancrustacea 197562
Subphylum (Epiclass): Hexapoda 6960
Class: Insecta 50557
No rank (Subclass): Dicondylia 85512
Subclass (Infraclass): Pterygota 7496
Infraclass: Neoptera 33340
Cohort: Holometabola
Order: Hymenoptera 7399
Suborder Apocrita 7400
Infraorder: Aculeata 7434
Superfamily: Formicoidea
Family: Formicidae 36668
Subfamily - Formicinae
Tribe: Lasiini 72772
Genus - Paratrechina 58224
Species - longicornis 262035
Updated: 2024 01 10
First Posted: 2024 01 10
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