About Myrmica sabuleti Meinert, 1861
Myrmica sabuleti is a species of ant belonging to the genus Myrmica. This species is native to Europe, and the majority of its colonies are polygynous. Caterpillars of the large blue butterfly (Phengaris arion) act as parasitic predators of this ant. After hatching on wild thyme buds, the caterpillar reaches the fourth instar stage and tricks the ants into mistaking it for one of their own larvae. Worker ants then carry the caterpillar back to their nest, where it feeds on the ant grubs for 10 months, before it pupates and emerges as an adult butterfly.
