millipede(?) living with Formica montana ants - Phengodes - BugGuide.Net

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Elateriformia » Elateroidea » Glowworm Beetles (Phengodidae) » Phengodini » Glowworms (Phengodes)

Photo#332480

Copyright © 2009 Mark Wetmore

millipede(?) living with Formica montana ants - Phengodes

6 mi. east of Spirit Mound, Clay County, South Dakota, USA
September 13, 2009
Size: about one inch long

On a Formica montana ant mound. When pursued, it would either bury directly into the mound and disappear or dash into an existing portal. I pluckled it out of the mound twice, released it, and watched the same behavior each time. The ants seemed to ignore it. The underside was solid yellow.

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Contributed by Mark Wetmore on 13 September, 2009 - 3:53pm
Last updated 13 September, 2009 - 9:27pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… v belov, 13 September, 2009 - 9:26pm

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i think beetle larva

This might be a type of firefly larva. Saw something similar posted a while back, and think that's what it was. Let's see what others come up with.

… Andrew Williams, 13 September, 2009 - 4:27pm

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ID

Could it be a Tenebrionid? Many are associated with ants.

… Andy Calderwood, 13 September, 2009 - 9:07pm

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a 'glowworm', Phengodes; they prey on millipedes

compare

… v belov, 13 September, 2009 - 9:18pm

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It

This may be wrong, but whatever it was, its behavior didn't seem larva-like to me. It moved quickly and purposefully and seemed to know its way around the ant hill.

… Mark Wetmore, 13 September, 2009 - 9:34pm

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"...behavior didn't seem larva-like" -- great point!

i have no doubts about the ID, but, believe it or not, this must be an adult female!!! Adult females differ only slightly in external appearance from mature larvae (minor diff. in the rear end and eye structure)(1)
bottomline, it's a beetle...
however, most predatory beetle larvae "move quickly and purposefully" -- otherwise, what kind or predators they would be...

… v belov, 13 September, 2009 - 9:55pm

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