Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2026

Collection and Long-Term Maintenance of Leaf-Cutting Ants (Atta) in Laboratory Conditions
Published on: August 30, 2022
The ladybird Thalassa saginata, an obligatory myrmecophile of Dolichoderus bidens ant colonies
Jérôme Orivel1, Pablo Servigne, Philippe Cerdan
1Laboratoire d'Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR-CNRS 5174, Université Toulouse III, Bat. 4R3, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex 4, France. orivel@cict.fr
Abstract:
The larvae and pupae of the ladybird Thalassa saginata develop inside colonies of the dolichoderine ant Dolichoderus bidens. This association is the first specific and obligatory relationship recorded between ants and ladybirds. The ants provide shelter and protection to the larvae but the diet of the latter remains unclear. The integration of T. saginata larvae into the ant colonies is achieved by mimicking the cuticular patterns of the ants' brood. Moreover, the larvae secrete substances from their hairs and anal gland that are likely to enhance their attractiveness.
Related Concept Videos
Pollination and Flower Structure
Symbiosis
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores
Frequency-dependent Selection

