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Performance of M yrmica ant colonies is correlated with the presence of social parasites
Author(s) -
WITEK MAGDALENA,
ŚLIPIŃSKI PIOTR,
NAUMIEC KAROLINA,
KRUPSKI ADAM,
BABIK HANNA,
WALTER BARTOSZ,
SYMONOWICZ BEATA,
DUBIEC ANNA
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/een.12299
Subject(s) - biology , nest (protein structural motif) , brood , host (biology) , larva , parasite hosting , reproduction , zoology , productivity , ant , pupa , ecology , ant colony , algorithm , world wide web , computer science , biochemistry , macroeconomics , ant colony optimization algorithms , economics
1. The performance of ant colonies depends on different factors such as nest site, colony structure or the presence of pathogens and social parasites. M yrmica ants host various types of social parasites, including the larvae of M aculinea butterflies and M icrodonmyrmicae (Schönrogge) hoverfly. How these social parasites affect host colony performance is still unexplored. 2. It was examined how the presence of M aculinea teleius Bergsträsser, M aculinea alcon (Denis & Schiffermüller), and M. myrmicae larvae, representing different feeding and growth strategies inside host colonies, is associated with worker survival, the number of foragers, and colony productivity parameters such as growth and reproduction. 3. It was found that the presence of social parasites is negatively associated with total colony production and the production of ant larvae and gynes. Male production was lower only in nests infested by M. teleius , whereas the number of worker pupae was significantly higher in all types of infested colonies than in uninfested colonies. Laboratory observations indicated that nests infested by M aculinea larvae are characterised by a higher number of foragers compared to uninfested nests but we did not find differences in worker survival among nest types. 4. The observed pattern of social parasite influence on colony productivity can be explained by the feeding strategies of parasitic larvae. The most negative effect was found for M. teleius , which feeds on the largest host brood and eliminates a high number of sexual forms. The strong, adverse influence of all studied parasite species on gyne production may result in low queen production in M yrmica populations exposed to these social parasites.