Ecitonidia wheeleri & Microdonia nitidiventris symbiosis behavior with Neivamyrmex army ants

A video of Neivamyrmex army ants and two symbiotic beetle species collected in Kansas, USA, interacting under lab conditions. I did not provide an oportunity for the ants to march, so this can be thought of as a simulation of bivouac conditions. Akre & Rettenmeyer (1966) have already reported some of these behaviors, but this video contains some novel behaviors and additional observations for comparison. Microdonia nitidiventris can be seen scuttling around undisturbed and apparently "invisible" to the ants. The species seems to avoid any prolong contact with the ants, which is congruent with previous observations where they have been typically associate with a peripheral existence relative to regions of the bivouac with high ant activity. Contrast to Akre & Rettenmeyer (1966), the video demonstrate less aggression by the ants and the beetles themselves appear less disturbed by the presence of ants. Ecitonidia wheeleri has been infrequently collected in the past. Specimens for this