Carbon dioxide concentrations in the nests of the mud-dwelling mangrove ant Polyrhachis sokolova Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract The nests of the mangrove ant Polyrhachis sokolova are found in soil in intertidal mangrove communities, and are thus inundated at high tides for several hours. Some of the nest galleries are flooded, but others retain air pockets, to which the ants retreat. During and following inundation, we measured carbon dioxide concentrations in air samples collected from different levels in the nests and from artificial 'control' holes in the mud. To account for the relative contribution of different sources of carbon dioxide, we also measured the carbon dioxide production by individual ants (including larvae and pupae) and small samples of mud collected near the ant nests. Nest carbon dioxide concentrations were high (2.5−11%) during and immediately following inundation, but the concentrations in the upper regions of the nest fell as soil water levels receded. However, at depths>10 cm below the level soil surface, the carbon dioxide concentrations remained relatively high and stable (at approximately 2%) over the 11 days between one high tide and the next. The contribution of the mud (and associated microorganisms) to the carbon dioxide concentration in the nests was substantial, and the contribution of the respiration of the ants was approximately 10−15% of the total. The carbon dioxide concentrations in the nests of this species during high tides are among the highest recorded for insect nests, suggesting that these ants may have unusual physiological attributes to match the behavioural and ecological challenges associated with living in the intertidal zone.     

Host record of the myrmecophilous carabid genus Cryptocephalomorpha (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pseudomorphinae) with description of a new species from Thailand

Cryptocephalomorpha siamensis sp. nov. is described from Thailand. The type series was collected from a nest of myrmicine ant, Pheidole singaporensis, which is the first exact host record of the genus Cryptocephalomorpha. Collecting circumstances and observed behavior are reported.     

Positive and negative impact to decomposition of pig cadavers by ants (hymenoptera: Formicidae) at the Islet Yeongdo in Busan,South Korea

We observed how ants affected the decomposition process of pig cadavers. Experiments were carried out with six pig cadavers during three seasons without winter. Fifteen ant species belonging to 14 genera 3 subfamilies were recorded from pig cadavers. The species richness and species composition of ants were different significantly at bloated and decay stages from the remaining stages, regardless of season. Ant species Nylanderia flavipes, Aphaenogaster japonica, Pheidole fervida, and Ectomomyrmex javanus kept hunting a considerable amount of eggs and maggots of flies in the two stages. In particular, Lasius japonicus continually interrupted landing and ovipositing of flies and removed eggs and maggots from pig cadavers. Our observation suggests that ants may affect decomposition process of dead animals by participating in positive and negative ways by massive removal of eggs and maggots of flies.     

The diminutive supercolony: the Argentine ants of the southeastern United States

Native to Argentina and Brazil, the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is an invasive species that has become established on six continents and many oceanic islands. In several parts of its introduced range, including the western United States, southern Europe and Chile, the Argentine ant is unicolonial, forming extensive supercolonies. We examined population genetic structure and intercolony aggression in two regions of the introduced range of this species in the United States: California and the southeastern United States. Our results show that the southeastern L. humile population has high genotypic variability and strong intercolony aggression relative to the California population. In the California population, intercolony aggression was absent and 23 alleles were found across seven polymorphic microsatellite loci. However, in the Southeast, aggression between colonies was high and 47 alleles were present across the same seven loci in an equal number of colonies. We suggest that distinctly different colonization patterns for California and the Southeast may be responsible for the striking disparity in the genetic diversity of introduced populations. Southeastern colonies may have descended from multiple, independent introductions from the native range, undergoing a bottleneck at each introduction. In contrast, the California supercolony may have originated from one or more colonies inhabiting the southeastern United States, thus experiencing a double bottleneck. The differences in present-day distribution patterns between California and the Southeast may be due to the combined effect of two factors: lower winter temperatures in the Southeast and/or competition with another successful and widely distributed ant invader, the fire ant Solenopsis invicta.     

茚虫威在红火蚁工蚁间的横向接触传导效应

[背景]红火蚁是我国重要的外来入侵害虫。利用其相互清洁和交哺行为等社会性昆虫特有的生活习性,使杀虫剂在巢群内传导,可以达到全巢药剂控制的目的。然而,有关茚虫威在红火蚁巢群内的传导效应尚未见有详细报道。[方法]采用供药蚁/受药蚁模型,研究了药剂剂量、供药蚁—受药蚁比例、处理时间对茚虫威在红火蚁工蚁间横向传毒的影响。[结果]剂量越高,受药蚁的死亡率越高,25 ng·头-1处理组受药蚁死亡率为14.1%～70.0%,而50 ng·头-1处理组的受药蚁死亡率最高可达100%;供药蚁—受药蚁比例显著影响茚虫威的传毒,比例为1∶1时,50、100、250、500 ng·头-1处理组受药蚁死亡率可达100%;随着时间延长,受药蚁的死亡率升高,但在12 h后,供药蚁死亡率最高仅为8.0%,表明茚虫威具缓效特性。[结论与意义]本研究明确了在红火蚁工蚁间茚虫威横向传毒的剂量、时间和供药蚁—受药蚁比例的效应,为应用该药剂提供了依据。     

Ant workers die young and colonies collapse when fed a high-protein diet

A key determinant of the relationship between diet and longevity is the balance of protein and carbohydrate in the diet. Eating excess protein relative to carbohydrate shortens lifespan in solitary insects. Here, we investigated the link between high-protein diet and longevity, both at the level of individual ants and colonies in black garden ants, Lasius niger. We explored how lifespan was affected by the dietary protein-to-carbohydrate ratio and the duration of exposure to a high-protein diet. We show that (i) restriction to high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets decreased worker lifespan by up to 10-fold; (ii) reduction in lifespan on such diets was mainly due to elevated intake of protein rather than lack of carbohydrate; and (iii) only one day of exposure to a high-protein diet had dire consequences for workers and the colony, reducing population size by more than 20 per cent.     

The effect of queen ants on the survival of Maculinea arion larvae in Myrmica ant nests

Summary The mortality of Maculinea arion caterpillars was measured in both laboratory and wild Myrmica nests, and found to be nearly 3 times higher in nests that had queen ants present. This is attributed to queen effect, which causes worker ants in nests with queens to attack large ant larvae (gynes) that would otherwise develop into new queens. Maculinea arion caterpillars mimic Myrmica larvae, and are usually attacked during the first 10 days after adoption, when they pass through the size range of ant gyne larvae. Caterpillars are also likely to be attacked during this period because their nethod of feeding brings them into close contact with the skins of large ant larvae, which contain gyne larval pheromones; older caterpillars are large enough to eat larvae without their exposed surfaces contacting the larval skin. In the wild, many caterpillars of Maculinea arion die in ant nests, and this has been shown in previous work to be the key factor that determines changes in their abundance from year to year. It is suggested that queen effect can be an important cause of these deaths, and one that particularly affects populations of butterflies that breed on sites with long-established plagioclimaxes of short turf rather than short-lived grass-land successions.     

红火蚁的危害及其防治

一种非常危险的入侵性害虫——红火蚁近年在我国台湾和香港登陆,对中国大陆和亚洲其他地区构成严重威胁。本文介绍了红火蚁的危害以及对红火蚁的防治方法。     

红火蚁工蚁体积、重量与数量之间关系研究

红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren是国际上一种重要危险性入侵害虫,已经入侵我国多年,并对我国社会多个方面造成危害和威胁。调查和明确红火蚁的分布、发生和危害是做好科学防控的基础和前提。本研究明确了大（体长：5~6 mm）、中（3~4 mm）、小（2~2.5 mm）3类不同体型工蚁在死亡和活体状态下同一体积时的重量和数量差异性及相关性。在此基础上建立了拟合2种状态下3类体型工蚁的体积、重量和数量间关系的系列幂模型,其中大、中、小体型活工蚁的体积与重量之间关系模型分别为Y=0.2066X^1.09265、Y=0.2179X^1.2362、Y=0.1725X^1.0897,死亡工蚁的体积与重量之间关系模型分别为Y=0.2003X^1.2226、Y=0.0876X^1.3038、Y=0.1491X^1.2041;大、中、小体型活工蚁的体积与数量之间关系模型分别为Y=41.7252X^1.5681、Y=27.9203X^1.7075、Y=181.7866X^1.0187,死亡工蚁的体积与数量之间关系模型分别为Y=115.8781X^1.1245、Y=460.1223X^1.0039、Y=433.0574X^0.9595;大、中、小体型活工蚁和死亡工蚁的重量与数量之间关系模型分别为Y=390.6213X1.4699、Y=219.6564X^1.4133、Y=942.2587X^0.9267、Y=524.3954X^0.8803、Y=3005.7651X^0.7571、Y=1984.2138X^0.7818;并依据以上各个模型,计算、制作了2种状态3类体型时依据体积估测重量和数量,依据重量估测数量的分级表。     

Let them eat termites—prey‐baiting provides effective control of Argentine ants,Linepithema humile,in a biodiversity hotspot

Invasive ants threaten biodiversity, ecosystem services and agricultural systems. This study evaluated a prey‐baiting approach for managing Argentine ants in natural habitat invaded by Argentine ants. Blackmound termites (Amitermes hastatus) were topically exposed to fipronil and presented to Argentine ants (Linepithema humile). In laboratory assays, L. humile colonies were offered fipronil‐treated termites within experimental arenas. The termites were readily consumed, and results demonstrate that a single termite topically treated with 590 ng fipronil is capable of killing at least 500 L. humile workers in 4 days. Field studies were conducted in natural areas invaded by L. humile. Fipronil‐treated termites scattered within experimental plots provided rapid control of L. humile and ant densities throughout the treated plots declined by 98 ± 5% within 21 days. Results demonstrate that the prey‐baiting approach is highly effective against L. humile and may offer an effective alternative to traditional bait treatments. Furthermore, prey‐baiting offers environmental benefits by delivering substantially less toxicant to the environment relative to current control methods which rely on commercial bait formulations and may offer greater target specificity.