Summary
Temporal subcastes in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren were selectively starved to determine if foragers could assess the nutritional status of their nestmates and respond accordingly. We found that starved foragers increase the honey entering the colony (Fig. 1). When nurses are starved more oil and liquid egg yolk enters the colony (Figs. 2, 3) and when both reserves and nurses are starved, more egg yolk powder is brought in by the foragers (Fig. 4). When queens are starved, more liquid egg yolk and oil enters the colony (Figs. 2, 3). Starved larvae increase the oil in the colony (Fig. 2) and when held with nurses for 24h before feeding, increase the egg yolk powder brought in and receive significantly more of it than other subcaste members (Fig. 5). We conclude that foragers can respond to the nutritional needs of their nestmates. Based on our behavioural observations, the quantity of food brought in by the foragers is regulated via discriminatory solicitation by reserves in response to the nutritional needs of the nurses.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Abbott A (1978) Nutrient dynamics in ants. In: Brian, MV (ed) Production ecology of ants and termites. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 233–244
Brian MV, Abbott A (1977) The control of food flow in a society of the ant Myrmica rubra L. Anim Behav 25:1047–1055
Echols HW (1966) Assimilation and transfer of Mirex in colonies of Texas leaf cutting ants. J Econ Entomol 59:1336–1338
Glunn FJ, Howard DF, Tschinkel WF (1981) Food preference in colonies of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. Insectes Soc 28:217–222
Howard DF, Tschinkel WR (1980) The effect of colony size and starvation on food flow in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 7:293–300
Howard DF, Tschinkel WR (1981a) The flow of food in colonies of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta: a multifactorial study. Physiol Entomol 6:297–306
Howard DF, Tschinkel WR (1981b) Internal distribution of liquid foods in isolated workers of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Insect Physiol 27:67–74
Kiechle H (1961) Die soziale Regulation der Wassersammeltättigkeit im Bienenstaat und deren physiologische Grundlage. Z Physiol 45:154–192
Lange R (1967) Die Nahrungsverteilung unter den Arbeiterinnen des Waldameisenstaates. Z Tierpsychol 24:513–545
Lenoir A (1979) Feeding behaviour in young societies of the ant Tapinoma erraticum L.: trophallaxis and polyethism. Insectes Soc 26:19–37
Lindauer M (1961) Communication among social bees. Howad University Press, Cambridge, Mass
Markin GP (1970) Food distribution within laboratory colonies of the Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mays. Insectes Soc 17:127–158
Meudec M, Lenoir A (1982) Social responses to variation in food supply and nest suitability in ants (Tapinoma erraticum). Anim Behav 30:284–292
Michener CD (1974) The social behavior of the bees. A comparative study. The Belknap Press of Harvard University. Cambridge, Mass.
Mirenda JT, Vinson SB (1979) A marking technique for adults of the red imported fire ant. Fla Entomol 62:279–281
Mirenda JT, Vinson SB (1981) Division of labour and specification of castes in the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren. Anim Behav 29:410–420
Ohguchi O, Aoki K (1982) Effects of colony need for water on optimal food choice in honey-bees. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 12:297–304
Schneider P (1966) Versuche zur Frage der Futterverteilung und Wasseraufnahme bei Formica polyctena (Forst). Insectes Soc 13: 297–304
Schneider P (1972) Versuche zur Frage der individuellen Futterverteilung bei der kleinen roten Waldameise (Formica polyctena Foerst). Insectes Soc 19:279–299
Sorensen AA, Mirenda JT, Vinson SB (1981) Food exchange and distribution by three functional worker groups of the imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. Insectes Soc 28:383–394
Sorensen AA, Busch TM, Vinson SB (1983a) Behaviour of worker subcastes in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, in response to proteinaceous food. Physiol Entomol 8:83–92
Sorensen AA, Kamas R, Vinson SB (1983b) The influence of oral secretions from larvae on levels of proteinases in colony members of Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J Insect Physiol 29:163–168
Sudd JH (1957) Communication and recruitment in Pharaoh's Ant, Monomorium pharaonis. Br J Anim Behav 3:104–109
Sudd JH (1967) An introduction to the behavior of ants. St. Martin's Press, New York
Wallis DI (1961) Food-sharing behaviour of the ants Formica sanguinea and Formica fusca. Behaviour 17:17–47
Wallis DI (1962) The relation between hunger, activity, and worker function in an ant colony. Proc Zool Soc (Lond) 139:589–605
Wallis DI (1961) The foraging behaviours of the ant, Formica fusca. Behaviour 23:149–175
Wilson EO (1971) The insect societies. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass
Wilson EO (1978) Division of labor in fire ants based on physical castes. J Kans Entomol Soc 51:615–636
Wilson EO, Eisner T (1957) Quantitative studies of liquid food transmission in ants. Insectes Soc 4:157–166
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sorensen, A.A., Busch, T.M. & Vinson, S.B. Control of food influx by temporal subcastes in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta . Behav Ecol Sociobiol 17, 191–198 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300136
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300136