scholarly journals Underlying mechanisms and ecological context of variation in exploratory behavior of the Argentine ant,Linepithema humile

2018 ◽  
Vol 221 (24) ◽  
pp. jeb188722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Page ◽  
Andrew Sweeney ◽  
Anna Pilko ◽  
Noa Pinter-Wollman
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Behavior ◽  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
Argentine Ant ◽  
Ecological Context ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

scholarly journals Underlying mechanisms and ecological consequences of variation in exploratory behavior of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Page ◽  
Andrew Sweeney ◽  
Anna Pilko ◽  
Noa Pinter-Wollman
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Behavior ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
Argentine Ant ◽  
Behavioral Variation ◽  
Nest Selection ◽  
Social Animals ◽  
Functional Explanations

Uncovering how and why animals explore their environment is fundamental for understanding population dynamics, the spread of invasive species, species interactions etc. In social animals, individuals within a group can vary in their exploratory behavior and the behavioral composition of the group can determine its collective success. Workers of the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) exhibit individual variation in exploratory behavior, which affects the colony’s collective nest selection behavior. Here we examine the mechanisms underlying this behavioral variation in exploratory behavior and determine its implications for the ecology of this species. We first establish that individual variation in exploratory behavior is repeatable and consistent across situations. We then show a relationship between exploratory behavior and the expression of genes that have been previously linked with other behaviors in social insects. Specifically, we find a negative relationship between exploratory behavior and the expression of the FOR gene. Finally, we determine how colonies allocate exploratory individuals in natural conditions. We find that ants from inside the nest are the least exploratory individuals, while workers on newly formed foraging trails are the most exploratory individuals. Furthermore, workers in the spring, when new resources emerge, are more exploratory than workers in the winter, potentially allowing the colony to find and exploit new resources. These findings reveal the importance of individual variation in behavior for the ecology of social animals and provide mechanistic and functional explanations for how such behavioral variation can emerge.

scholarly journals Impact of selenium on mortality, bioaccumulation and feeding deterrence in the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

2014 ◽  
Vol 481 ◽  
pp. 446-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah G. De La Riva ◽  
Beatriz G. Vindiola ◽  
Tracy N. Castañeda ◽  
David R. Parker ◽  
John T. Trumble
Keyword(s):  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
Argentine Ant ◽  
Feeding Deterrence

Argentine Ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dolichoderinae)

2008 ◽  
pp. 288-291
Author(s):  
George Hangay ◽  
Severiano F. Gayubo ◽  
Marjorie A. Hoy ◽  
Marta Goula ◽  
Allen Sanborn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
Argentine Ant

scholarly journals Update on the invasion status of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868), in Madrid, a large city in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula

2021 ◽  
Vol 85 ◽  
pp. 161-177
Author(s):  
Diego López-Collar ◽  
Francisco J. Cabrero-Sañudo
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Necessary Conditions ◽  
Large City ◽  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
Argentine Ant ◽  
Invasive Ant ◽  
Personal Communications ◽  
Great Capacity ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
The City

New geolocated records of the invasive ant Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868) are added to the previous references for the city of Madrid and its surroundings, and the possible causes of the occurrence and permanence of this species in urban areas are discussed. The data collection corresponds to a series of samplings carried out for the last three years in green areas of the city, bibliographic searches, citizen science platforms and personal communications. To date, eleven locations in the urban area of Madrid and four points outside the city have been registered. The city of Madrid is undergoing a colonisation by the Argentine ant, although it is not widespread yet, since observations over time and space are isolated and apparently unrelated. However, this species has a great capacity to disperse and establish new colonies, mainly human-mediated through the transport of goods, plants, gardening tools, etc. Considering the numerous colonizable urban green areas in the city that can provide the necessary conditions for its expansion, the Argentine ant should not be underestimated, and immediate action is strongly recommended.

scholarly journals First record of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868), in the Tuscan Archipelago (Italy)

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-43
Author(s):  
Alberto Masoni ◽  
Filippo Frizzi ◽  
Francesca Giannini ◽  
Giacomo Santini
Keyword(s):  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
First Record ◽  
Argentine Ant

scholarly journals Partitioning of reproduction among queens in the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile

2001 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 1039-1045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Fournier ◽  
Laurent Keller
Keyword(s):  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
Argentine Ant

Genetic relationships among populations of the Argentine ant Linepithema humile introduced into Japan

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 883-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanori Hirata ◽  
Osamu Hasegawa ◽  
Takahiro Toita ◽  
Seigo Higashi
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
Linepithema Humile ◽  
Argentine Ant
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