Minimal intraspecific aggression among tawny crazy ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Florida
Abstract
Tawny crazy ants, Nylanderia fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), are an invasive species found in states along the Gulf Coast of the USA. Their large populations are aggressive and can displace ant species already present in the area. Because tawny crazy ants are not territorial toward their own species within a locality, it was hypothesized that they may exhibit unicoloniality in their invasive range. To test this hypothesis, tawny crazy ants from separate locations in Florida were confined in small, enclosed arenas, and their interactions were observed and documented using a rating scale of aggression behaviors. Carbohydrate consumption also can affect aggression in ants, so starved and non-starved ants were tested separately. For non-starved ants, the level of aggression between worker ants increased if they were from different locations, but this interaction rarely escalated to fighting. When starved ants from different locations were given access to sucrose solution, the ants would exhibit trophallaxis rather than fighting over the food source. Queens from different colonies would quickly nest together. Thus, intraspecific aggression was not evident among tawny crazy ants collected from widely separated locations in Florida.
Resumen
La hormiga loca rojiza, Nylanderia fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), es una especie invasora que se encuentra en los estados a lo largo de la costa del Golfo de los Estados Unidos. Sus grandes poblaciones son agresivas y pueden desplazar especies de hormigas ya presentes en el área. Debido a que las hormigas locas rojizas no son territoriales hacia sus propias especies dentro de una localidad, se planteó la hipótesis de que pueden exhibir unicolonialidad en su rango invasivo. Para probar esta hipótesis, las hormigas rojizas locas de lugares separados en Florida fueron confinadas en pequeños espacios cerrados, y sus interacciones se observaron y documentaron utilizando una escala de calificación de los comportamientos de agresión. El consumo de carbohidratos también puede afectar la agresión en las hormigas, por lo que las hormigas con hambre y sin hambre se probaron por separado. Para las hormigas no hambrientas, el nivel de agresión entre las hormigas obreras aumentaba si eran de diferentes lugares, pero esta interacción rara vez escalo a un combate. Cuando las hormigas hambrientas de diferentes lugares tenían acceso a la solución de sacarosa, las hormigas exhibían trofalaxis en lugar de pelear por la fuente de alimento. Reinas de diferentes colonias anidarían juntas rápidamente. Por lo tanto, la agresión intraespecífica no era evidente entre las hormigas locas rojizas recolectadas de lugares extensamente separados de la Florida.
Key Words: invasive ants; territoriality; competition; unicolonial; Nylanderia fulva
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