Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
An Orange Blister Beetle (Nemognatha piazata) lays yellow eggs on the base of a developing flower head of a Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, in Houston, TX, USA. Graceful Twig Ants (Pseudomyrmex gracile) scurry around nearby, as if looking for something on the Sunflower. I thought originally that the Twig Ants were interested in eating the freshly laid Blister Beetle eggs, but they never actually went after the eggs, even after the Blister Beetle flew off. Maybe there were Aphids (family Aphidae) or other bugs that were feeding on the Sunflower and excreting honeydew, attracting the Ants?
There was also a small Fly (order Diptera) and another Ant nearby. The Twig Ants chased away the Fly, but the other (smaller) Ant stood its ground and seemed to be able to chase away Twig Ant attacks by stinging (or spraying?) the Twig Ants. I wonder if the Blister Beetle knows that the Ants nearby might help to chase away potential egg predators?
0:00 Laying eggs
1:30 Finishing up
2:25 Flying away
2:44 Twig Ant ignores unguarded eggs
An Orange Blister Beetle (Nemognatha piazata) lays yellow eggs on the base of a developing flower head of a Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, in Houston, TX, USA. Graceful Twig Ants (Pseudomyrmex gracile) scurry around nearby, as if looking for something on the Sunflower. I thought originally that the Twig Ants were interested in eating the freshly laid Blister Beetle eggs, but they never actually went after the eggs, even after the Blister Beetle flew off. Maybe there were Aphids (family Aphidae) or other bugs that were feeding on the Sunflower and excreting honeydew, attracting the Ants?
There was also a small Fly (order Diptera) and another Ant nearby. The Twig Ants chased away the Fly, but the other (smaller) Ant stood its ground and seemed to be able to chase away Twig Ant attacks by stinging (or spraying?) the Twig Ants. I wonder if the Blister Beetle knows that the Ants nearby might help to chase away potential egg predators?
0:00 Laying eggs
1:30 Finishing up
2:25 Flying away
2:44 Twig Ant ignores unguarded eggs
