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.