Fire Ants, Solenopsis invicta, Dry and Store Insect Pieces for Later Use
2008
Fire Ants Store Insect Pieces for Later Use
Sample size: 5
publication
10 minutes
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Gayahan Glivery G., Walter R. Tschinkel
Primary Institution: Florida State University
Hypothesis
Do fire ants stockpile dried insect prey pieces in their nests?
Conclusion
Fire ants desiccate and store pieces of insect prey in their nests for later feeding to their larvae.
Supporting Evidence
- Fire ants were observed cutting insects into pieces and storing them in their nests.
- Fluorescent dye was used to track the feeding of larvae on stored insect pieces.
- Starved colonies relied on stored insect jerky for feeding their larvae.
Takeaway
Fire ants can dry and save bits of insects like jerky to feed their babies later.
Methodology
Field and laboratory experiments were conducted where fire ants were fed dyed beetle larvae to track the storage and feeding behavior.
Limitations
The study may not account for variations in storage behavior among different ant species or in different environmental conditions.
Participant Demographics
Fire ant colonies from disturbed habitats in the southeastern USA.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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