Ant-guest cockroach

Attaphila fungicola is a specialized cockroach species belonging to the order Blattodea and the family Ectobiidae. It is a well-known myrmecophile, meaning it lives in symbiotic or commensal relationships with ants, specifically leaf-cutter ants of the genus Atta. These insects have evolved to inhabit the subterranean fungus gardens that these ants meticulously cultivate for their survival.

The host plants affected by the associated colony include a wide variety of agricultural and forest species, as leaf-cutter ants are notorious defoliators. Attaphila fungicola indirectly impacts plant health by residing within the ant colony, potentially facilitating the survival of the ants that destroy large-scale crops, such as citrus, coffee, and eucalyptus.

The biology of this species is characterized by remarkable chemical mimicry. By mimicking the cuticular hydrocarbons of their ant hosts, these cockroaches can move undetected within the nest. Their development cycle takes place entirely within the fungus chambers, where they feed on the mycelium, utilizing the controlled microclimate created by the ants.

Regarding damage, Attaphila fungicola primarily consumes the fungal mycelium cultivated by the ants. While they are essentially commensals that rarely cause total collapse of the fungus garden, their presence requires resources that would otherwise support the ant larvae. However, the true economic damage is attributed to the host ants, which consume vast amounts of vegetation.

Control measures are centered on the eradication of the leaf-cutter ant colonies themselves. Since the cockroaches are obligate inhabitants of the nests, strategies such as the application of toxic baits, nest fumigation, and the use of insect growth regulators are highly effective in reducing both the ant population and their associated Attaphila fungicola guests simultaneously.