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> These ants follow the Arab proverb, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", even if the parasite ants eat some larvae and some of the fungus harvest:
> 
> https://phys.org/news/2018-04-freeloader-baby-eating-ants-colony.html
> 
> "But new research shows there's likely a useful tradeoff to calmly accepting these parasite ants into the fold: They have weaponry that's effective against their host ants and a more menacing intruder ant. 
> 
> "Rachelle Adams, an ant expert at The Ohio State University, wanted to better understand the dynamics of the symbiotic relationship between parasitic Megalomyrmex symmetochus ants and Sericomyrmex amabilis hosts.
> 
> ***
> 
> "Instead, the host/parasite relationship appears to be built on mutual protection from a more fearsome foe, said Adams, an assistant professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology.
> 
> "The parasitic ants possess a volatile alkaloid-based venom that the host ants detect from a distance. The parasite ants' potent chemical weaponry is known to work against a more-lethal invader ant.
> 
> "'It's likely a scenario where the enemy of your enemy is your friend," she said.
> 
> "'When confronted with a parasitic ant, the farmer ant will at first lunge at the intruder, but then instead of biting, she'll pull away and bow her head down, in a submissive response."
> 
> "There are more than 250 species of these fungus-farming ants in the United States and in Central and South America, she said. The ants studied in this research live in Panama.
> 
> "'These fungus farmers start little farms and care for the fungus garden by feeding it and protecting it from pathogens," Adams said.
> 
> "The crops are bountiful – more than what the host colony needs – so when the parasites invade it doesn't cause a tremendous amount of stress to either the fungus or ants, she said.
> 
> "And while they do eat some of the ants' protein-rich brood, they don't kill the queen and the host colony remains healthy.
> 
> "Going forward, Adams hopes to discover whether or not this parasite-tolerance behavior is transmitted from parent to offspring colonies. Not all Sericomyrmex amabilis colonies live with parasites in their midst. Scientists estimate that about three-quarters of colonies host parasites."
> 
> Comment: Seems like a beneficial  naturally developed arrangement.