Myrmecophilus acervorum

{{Short description|Species of cricket-like animal}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Ants'-nest cricket

| image = Myrmecophilus acervorum - Ameisengrille 179995747.jpg

| taxon = Myrmecophilus acervorum

| authority = Panzer 1799

}}

Myrmecophilus acervorum is an orthopteran insect belonging to the family Myrmecophilidae (the ant-loving crickets). This continental European species is probably the most widespread and most frequently encountered member of this rather obscure family found in Europe. It is also by far the smallest orthopteran found in Western Europe, with its total adult length never exceeding {{convert|3.5|mm|in|abbr=on}}.Field Guide to the Grasshoppers and Crickets of Britain and Northern Europe, Heiko Bellman (1985, Translated from German 1988) {{ISBN|0-00-219852-5}}

As with other members of the family, this insect lives its whole lifecycle as an inquiline within ants' nests. M. acervorum lives with ants (myrmecophily) of more than 20 species. This specialized way of life has led this insect to evolve many morphological differences compared to other orthopterans, including complete absence of wings (as they never leave their host nest) and hearing organs (as they no longer use stridulation), and much reduced eyesight, as well as their very small size.

These tiny insects are dark brown with paler bands and prominent cerci, which serve as their primary sensory organs. Adults are found throughout the year, and take up to two years to reach adulthood from hatching. In this species, the females reproduce parthenogenetically.

File: Myrmecophila acervorum.jpg|Adults, like this female, are wingless.

File:Myrmecophilus acervorum -- Ameisengrille -- Common Ant-cricket.webm|Video