Some insects work hard for a living, whereas others try to get a free ride. In the picture below, a beetle hitchhikes on the antenna of a foraging bumble bee.
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| A beetle (Antherophagus sp.) gets a ride on the antenna of a bumble bee (Bombus ternarius). |
This bumble bee spent some time trying to dislodge the beetle, but the beetle did not loosen its grip. Eventually, the bee flew off with the beetle still hanging from its antenna.
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| The bumble bee attempts to free itself from the beetle. |
The adults of these beetles feed on flowers; hence the genus is suitably named
Antherophagus ("flower-eaters"). However, the beetle larvae feed on debris within bumble bee nests. To get from one feeding site to another, the beetles simply catch a ride on a passing bumble bee forager.
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| An Antherophagus beetle feeds on a hydrangea flower. |
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