With their amazing necks, ants don't need 'high hopes' to do heavy lifting

Ein interessanter Artikel auf "phys.org".

Diffeomorphismus

The spatial distribution of nests of the harvester ant Messor barbarus in dryland cereals (Zugang zu "Springer Link" notwendig)

Abstract

The harvester ant Messor barbarus can be responsible for substantial losses of weed seeds in arable fields in NE Spain. The spatial distribution of nests can have consequences for biological weed control, because foraging intensities decline with distance from the nest. The probability that seeds will escape harvesting will be lower if nests occur regularly distributed. We here investigated ‘large’-scale variability (up to 150 m), caused by habitat heterogeneity, and ‘small’-scale spatial variability (up to 12 m), caused by interactions between colonies, in nest distribution in a 50 × 150 m area in a cereal field in NE Spain, in 2009 and 2010. Large-scale variability was present in the data, but could not be explained by elevation, distance to the nearest field edge, or interpreted as simple trends across the area. Small-scale interactions could successfully be described by a multi-type/hard core Strauss process model, indicating territoriality among nests. Exclusion and interaction zones were identified, with radii that were smaller for small than for large colonies, and smaller for 2009 than for 2010. There was close resemblance between the observed and fitted spatial structure up to a radius of 3–4 m. Large-scale spatial variability, but not small-scale interactions, may be responsible for the existence of areas with few or no nests, where weed seeds have a higher probability of escaping the ants and entering the seed bank. Identifying and understanding the factors that influence the large-scale trends is, therefore, essential for optimizing weed control.

Diffeomorphismus

Genome of clonal raider ant provides promising model to study social evolution and behavior

Bericht auf "www.sciencedaily.com".

Diffeomorphismus

Honey Bee Location- and Time-Linked Memory Use in Novel Foraging Situations: Floral Color Dependency (Open Access)

Abstract

Learning facilitates behavioral plasticity, leading to higher success rates when foraging. However, memory is of decreasing value with changes brought about by moving to novel resource locations or activity at different times of the day. These premises suggest a foraging model with location- and time-linked memory. Thus, each problem is novel, and selection should favor a maximum likelihood approach to achieve energy maximization results. Alternatively, information is potentially always applicable. This premise suggests a different foraging model, one where initial decisions should be based on previous learning regardless of the foraging site or time. Under this second model, no problem is considered novel, and selection should favor a Bayesian or pseudo-Bayesian approach to achieve energy maximization results. We tested these two models by offering honey bees a learning situation at one location in the morning, where nectar rewards differed between flower colors, and examined their behavior at a second location in the afternoon where rewards did not differ between flower colors. Both blue-yellow and blue-white dimorphic flower patches were used. Information learned in the morning was clearly used in the afternoon at a new foraging site. Memory was not location-time restricted in terms of use when visiting either flower color dimorphism.

Grüße,
Diffeomorphismus

What cooperation and conflict in an insect's society can teach us about social acceptance

A new study looks at colonies of social wasps and explores the acceptance of individuals not related to each other, in a highly organized and adaptable society. The findings show that the age of the individual, and of the colony, defines the costs and benefits of accepting new members into a group.

Artikel auf "www.sciencedaily.com".

Grüße,
Diffeomorphismus

Central European Workshop Myrmecology, Innsbruck 2013

http://www.oegef.at/downloads.php
http://www.oegef.at/downloads/CEWM_2013_abstract_book.pdf (110 Seiten!)
Abstracts der Vorträge und Poster auf dem 5. CEWM – Central European Workshop of Myrmecology, 5.-8. Sept. 2013, Innsbruck

Hier führe ich nur eine sehr kleine Auswahl von Beiträgen an, die mir beim Durchmustern aus dem einen oder anderen Grund aufgefallen sind. Zweifellos wird jede/r an Ameisen generell Interessierte auch weitere bzw. andere für sie/ihn wichtige Beiträge entdecken!

S. 9: S. Aron, Hybridogenese. Für die Halter von Cataglyphis species von Bedeutung.

S. 19, M. Khaldi et al.: Für algerische Igel sind Ameisen (Messor, Tapinoma, Cataglyphis) ein wesentlicher Teil ihrer Nahrung.

S. 2, N. Gratiashvili et al: Myrmoxenus tamarae und deren taxonomische Stellung: Die sechs Autoren kommen zu dem Schluss, dass es sich dabei möglicherweise um eine Unterart der weit verbreiteten, auch in D vorkommenden Myrmoxenus ravouxi handelt. http://www.ameisenwiki.de/index.php/Myrmoxenus_ravouxi

S. 41, B. Seifert: Häufigkeit und evolutive Bedeutung von Hybridisierung bei Ameisen.

S. 48, G. Berberich: Statstische Korrelationen zwischen Hügeln Roter Waldameisen (Formica spp.) und geologisch aktiven Bruchzonen in Eifel und Schwarzwald.
(Heftig diskutierte Untersuchungen, s.DASW-Forum: http://www.ameisenschutzwarte.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1487 und darin verlinkte ältere Threads).

S. 58, H. C, Wagner et al.: Neues über den Tetramorium caespitum/ T. impurum-Komplex, zu dem nun Kern-DNS analysiert wurde.

- Ab S. 63 folgen Abstracts zu den während der Tagung präsentierten Postern.

S. 70, D. D’Eustacchio et al.: Rolle des Größenpolymorphismus von Messor wasmanni bei der Arbeitsteilung.

S. 74, K. Erös et al.: Abwehrmechanismen von Formica polyctena gegen den endoparasitischen Pilz Pandora myrmecophaga. Die Ameisen entfernen in Nestnähe an Grashalmen fixierte infizierte tote Ameisen. http://ameisenwiki.de/index.php/Pandora_myrmecophaga

S. 90, S. Mitrus: Temnothorax crassispinus bevorzugt im Freilandexperiment mit künstlichen Nistgelegenheiten größere gegenüber kleineren Nestchen. (Anmerkung: Eine Möglichkeit für Schülerexperimente, z. B. mit T. nylanderi!)


Leider ist bei den Abstracts (mit wenigen Ausnahmen) keine Literatur angegeben, so dass man auf das Erscheinen der kompletten Artikel warten muss, so weit sie andernorts publiziert werden.


MfG,
Merkur

Coupled adult-brood transport augments relocation in the Indian queenless ant Diacamma indicum (Zugang zu Springer Link notwendig)

Abstract

Colony relocation is an important aspect in the lives of social insects. In ants, the process of relocation is further complicated as brood, in addition to adults, have to be transported to the new nest. Here, we have investigated brood transport in the Indian ponerine ant Diacamma indicum, which uses tandem running—a primitive mode of recruitment—for the entire colony to relocate. We have found that there were no brood transport specialists and most of the brood was transported in the mandibles of followers that were being tandem run. Therefore, in a single tandem run, one adult and one brood item was effectively transported by tandem leaders augmenting the relocation process.

Grüße,
Diffeomorphismus

Hallo,

ein schönes Video bei YouTube.

Grüße,
Diffeomorphismus