Current Search: Ants -- Behavior (x)
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- Title
- Intraspecific aggression in the brown rover ant, Brachymyrmex obscurior.
- Creator
- Ruddock, Whitney A., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
Invasive ant species often show unicoloniality, forming networks of connected colonies (i.e. supercolonies), which may extend hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. These "supercolonies" lack intraspecific aggression, thus fighting between colonies is absent. Unicoloniality may be an adaptive mechanism that allows for invasive ant species to reach higher population density and achieve ecological dominance. We used aggression assays to study unicoloniality within and between colonies of the...
Show moreInvasive ant species often show unicoloniality, forming networks of connected colonies (i.e. supercolonies), which may extend hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. These "supercolonies" lack intraspecific aggression, thus fighting between colonies is absent. Unicoloniality may be an adaptive mechanism that allows for invasive ant species to reach higher population density and achieve ecological dominance. We used aggression assays to study unicoloniality within and between colonies of the invasive brown rover ant, Brachymyrmex obscurior on the Florida Atlantic University campus in Jupiter, FL. We found that the four B. obscurior colonies could be behaviorally divided into two areas: workers from both colonies in either region never showed intraspecific aggression while workers from colonies in opposing areas always showed intraspecific aggression, often fighting to the death. Thus, B. obscurior appears to show very localized unicoloniality, with neighboring colonies forming small supercolonies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77685
- Subject Headings
- Ants, Behavior, Insect societies, Predation (Biology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Intraspecific aggression in the difficult ant, Technomyrmex difficilis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
- Creator
- Sollins, Benjamin H., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
One mechanism allowing ant species to successfully invade new areas at a rapid pace is unicoloniality, the formation of large networks connecting colonies over hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. These large networks of colonies, or "supercolonies" lack any form of intraspecific aggression, thus fighting between them is absent. I used aggression assays to study unicoloniality between colonies of the invasive difficult ant, Technomyrmex difficilis on the Florida Atlantic University...
Show moreOne mechanism allowing ant species to successfully invade new areas at a rapid pace is unicoloniality, the formation of large networks connecting colonies over hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. These large networks of colonies, or "supercolonies" lack any form of intraspecific aggression, thus fighting between them is absent. I used aggression assays to study unicoloniality between colonies of the invasive difficult ant, Technomyrmex difficilis on the Florida Atlantic University Wilkes Honors College campus and a household located ~32 km northwest from the college. I found that for all trial combinations, no aggression took place among the ants. From these results, I conclude that T. difficilis does display unicoloniality in South Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3335456
- Subject Headings
- Technomyrmex difficilis, Ants, Behavior, Insect colonies, Predation (Biology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Nest architecture and social parasites of the pyramid ant, Dorymyrmex bureni.
- Creator
- Quach, Phuc., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
The pyramid ant, Dorymyrmex bureni, is one of the most common and conspicuous ants of open, sandy habitats in the southeastern US. To examine the architecture of D. bureni nests in different habitats, I made wax casts of the subterranean tunnels and chambers of nests in a disturbed college campus site (n=3) and a relatively undisturbed greenway preserve site (n=5). Nests of pyramid ant, Dorymyrmex bureni, consist of two basic units : horizontal chambers and descending shafts connecting them....
Show moreThe pyramid ant, Dorymyrmex bureni, is one of the most common and conspicuous ants of open, sandy habitats in the southeastern US. To examine the architecture of D. bureni nests in different habitats, I made wax casts of the subterranean tunnels and chambers of nests in a disturbed college campus site (n=3) and a relatively undisturbed greenway preserve site (n=5). Nests of pyramid ant, Dorymyrmex bureni, consist of two basic units : horizontal chambers and descending shafts connecting them. Chambers near the surface are tunnel-like with branches arranged in a nexus, while deeper chambers were more compact in outline. Chamber height is more or less constant, but chamber shape becomes more complex and lobed in characteristic ways as chambers enlarge. Nests have a top-heavy distribution of chamber area at all sizes because chambers are larger and closer together in the upper nest regions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3359322
- Subject Headings
- Ants, Nests, Insect societies, Insects, Behavior, Parasites, Behavior, Host-parasite relationships
- Format
- Document (PDF)