Paussinae, known as flanged bombardier beetles, are a monophyletic subfamily that includes about 750 described species mainly distributed in tropical regions. They share a unique type of larva with a peculiar terminal disk at the end of an up-curved abdomen, and an explosive defensive strategy that parallels that of brachinines. Most paussines have broken the communication code of the ants they live with, and they are tolerated as social parasites in the nest where they feed on ant brood and lay their eggs. Larvae of the beetle also develop in the host ant nest. Adaptations to a life with ants have resulted in the evolution of amazingly modified structural and physiological features, in both larval and adult stages, as well as extraordinarily refined strategies of communication that redirect the ant’s behavior. New findings show an unexpectedly complex array of myrmecophilous strategies that can be tackled only by an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. My research combines studies of behavior, chemistry, acoustics, and functional morphology to gain insight into the mysteries of how these beetles are able to solicit beneficial behaviors from their hosts.