Strange Bug.....

[andy]

Lifted a paving slab to look at a colony of Rubras that I have watched on and off for a couple of years and were their chambers used to be (horizontal under the slab) is now all filled in.

Many Rubras were dead (50+) in the sand. 100s more rubras were going in a hole near the next slab which I'm unable to lift easily.

I don't know if another colony has attacked them or something - however there was a (two) very strange bug under the first paving slab (black with a red band on it). More about this when I find a name for this little "bug"!

[andy]

unable to identify this bug

[doogsy]

maybe a photo of the bug?

[Wood~Ant]

A predatory beetle perhaps, as some insects invade ant nests to kill and eat ant brood and/or adults

[andy]

didn't get a photo

[theantkeeper]

It could be one of those black devil bugs, they have a nasty sting!

[Formicalondon]

I think you mean devils coach horse beatle (Staphylinus olens), and they do not have a sting. They raise their tail like a scorpion however, but extract a fail smelling and tasting white pussy looking chemical from the tip to ward off predators. Their jaws however are a different story, I used to catch loads of these as a child, they will eat almost any insect/slug/spider they can get their jaws around.

[golix]

Tough things too, you can rest bricks on them and they don't squash.