The outer walls of these nests are blackened by the salivary secretions, and are thin, with the interior divided into irregular, connected cells, like a coarse sponge.

Common Opal larvae also produce honeydew from a gland on the back, leading to their being constantly guarded from predators such as parasitic wasps.

Here the ants extend their protection and hospitality by constructing papery daytime shelters for the larvae which feed by night on plants such as Bietou, and species of Aspalathus, Osteospermum and Zygophyllum.

[7] Crematogaster peringueyi – and other ants with a similar location and lifestyle, Linepithema humile and Formica perpilosa – are indirect pests of South African viticulture.

[8]: 299  In their next work Mgocheki & Addison 2010 find that managing the ants did indeed lead to increased parasitism on the mealybug and decreased crop injury.

[8]: 299 The genus of Crematogaster, created by Peter Wilhelm Lund in 1831 (Lettre sur les habitudes de quelques fourmis du Brésil, adressée a M. Audouin.