Zur Physiologie der Gast-Wirt-Beziehungen (Myrmecophilie) bei Ameisen - I. Das Gastverhältnis der Atemeles- und Lomechusa-Larven (Col. Staphylinidae) zu Formica (Hym. Formicidae)

1. The larvae of the myrmecophilic beetles Lomechusa strumosa and Atemeles pubicollis which live in the nests of ants (Formica), are treated by their hosts like their own brood. 2. The begging behaviour of the guest-larvae is similar to the begging of Formica-larvae, but more intense. 3. By means of radioactive tracers it was shown, that the guest-larvae are strong competitors of the host-larvae for food. 4. The guest-larvae secret substances through their body surface which are highly attractive to the ants and are licked up by them. In the guest-Larvae dorsolaterally epidermal glands were found which presumably produce the attractants. 5. The attractants can be extracted with acetone. Dummies soaked in extracts became attractive and were treated like own brood by ants. 6. It is assumed that the guest larvae mimick ant-larvae both in their attractive substances and in their behaviour.