Creat membership Creat membership
Sign in

Forgot password?

Confirm
  • Forgot password?
    Sign Up
  • Confirm
    Sign In
Creat membership Creat membership
Sign in

Forgot password?

Confirm
  • Forgot password?
    Sign Up
  • Confirm
    Sign In
Collection

toTop

If you have any feedback, Please follow the official account to submit feedback.

Turn on your phone and scan

home > search >

Queen number in a supercolony of the invasive garden ant,Lasius neglectus

Author:
X. Espadaler   S. Rey   V. Bernal  


Journal:
Insectes Sociaux


Issue Date:
2004


Abstract(summary):

We have analysed the distribution of queens under stones at the core and at the periphery of a supercolony of Lasius neglectus that occupies 14 ha at Seva (NE Spain). Queens were not found alone, but rather within worker groups. Density at the center (mean +/- s.d.: 1.38 +/- 2.87 queens/stone; n = 100 stones; range 0-14) was not different from density at the periphery (1.18 +/- 2.38; range 0-12). The estimate of the number of queens found under stones for the whole colony is about 35500. Egg-laying rates for queens from these two zones were obtained in the laboratory, at three different temperatures, and there were no differences detected. The presence of brood stages, from eggs to cocoons, was also similar in both zones. The homogeneous distribution of colony components may indicate that the area occupied by L. neglectus has already reached saturation. With a different technique - soil core extraction - we could estimate the density of workers in the soil: 800 workers per m2. Soil cores had 6.28 +/- 20.0 workers/core (range: 0-173), giving a rough estimate of 1.12 x 108 workers in the soil, for the entire colony. Though few, some queens were also recovered from soil cores. Queen numbers for the supercolony, based on queens found in the soil, reaches the astounding level of 360000. Numbers are consistent with previous predictions.


Page:
232-238


Similar Literature

Submit Feedback

This function is a member function, members do not limit the number of downloads