“You are not always what you eat”: Diet did not override intrinsic nestmate recognition cues in Argentine ants from two supercolonies in South Africa

Nestmate recognition in ants is based on cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), which are heritable and may also be acquired from the environment (i.e. diet and nest environment). In Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), diet and a homogenous environment have been shown to affect nestmate recognition by altering the CHC profile and consequently intraspecific aggression. In our study, Argentine ants were collected from field nests representing two supercolonies in South Africa. Individuals were paired in aggression assays and their CHC profiles analysed. The same nests used in the aggression assays were maintained in the laboratory for five months on a shared diet of crickets and sugar water, in soil-free nests. We predicted that aggression between previously aggressive paired individuals from different nests would decrease over time through the homogenisation of CHCs as a consequence of the shared diet and similar nesting environment. Our data showed that ants maintained in the laboratory readily absorbed prey-derived hydrocarbons and experienced a loss in the number of cuticular compounds compared with their original CHC profiles. However, the changes in CHCs did not impair nestmate recognition with non-aggressive paired interactions maintained while previously aggressive paired interactions persisted. The persistence of aggression between previously aggressive pairs despite environmental homogeneity supports the notion that intrinsic nestmate recognition cues are not overridden by extrinsic cues in the recognition system of Argentine ants

Patterns of floral resource use by two dominant ant species in a biodiversity hotspot

Ecological dominance in ants is often fuelled by carbohydrate intake. Most studies have focused on the importance of invasive ant mutualistic associations with trophobionts whereas few studies have investigated the importance of floral nectar on invasion success. In this study, utilisation of temporarily available floral nectar by the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, was compared to that of the dominant native ant, Anoplolepis custodiens, within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), a biodiversity hotspot. The effect of these two focal ant species on species composition and abundance of ground foraging ants as well as floral arthropod visitors in inflorescences of Proteacea species was assessed. Foraging activity, and trophic ecology inferred from the abundance of natural stable isotopes of Carbon (δ13C) and Nitrogen (δ15N), and the ratio of Carbon to Nitrogen (C:N) were compared between the two ant species during three flowering periods. Linepithema humile significantly reduced the abundance and species diversity of both above-ground and floral arthropod species abundance and composition. Linepithema humile increased its foraging activity with increasing nectar availability, switching its diet to a more herbivorous one. Anoplolepis custodiens did not respond as effectively to increasing floral nectar or negatively impact floral arthropod visitors. This study showed that the availability of floral nectar and ability of L. humile to more effectively utilise this temporarily available resource than native ants, can contribute significantly to the further spread and persistence of L. humile in natural environments in the CFR

The attractiveness of toxic bait is not always accompanied by increased mortality in laboratory colonies of Argentine ants, Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, is a globally known invasive ant species responsible for widespread biodiversity and economic loss, thus there is a growing need to control and preferably locally eradicate these ants from invaded environments and households. We evaluated the attractiveness and toxicity of six commercial baits containing hydramethylnon, imidacloprid and pyriproxyfen targeting Argentine ants, and differing in bait formulation. Hydramethylnon granular baits were most effective, killing workers (85–100% worker mortality) and queens (63–75 %) in the laboratory within 24 h. Workers were most attracted to and consumed the most of the imidacloprid gel bait, but, contrary to previous studies, mortality on this bait was low. The pyriproxyfen bait was least effective in killing workers, as was expected, and was the least consumed of all baits.We advocate the use of a fine granular hydramethylnon formulation for the effective control of Argentine ants. The attractiveness and consumption of the gel formulation was encouraging, therefore increased concentrations of the toxicant imidacloprid in gel formulation should be tested for improved bait efficacy. Combinations of toxicants that act on multiple levels, such as the larvicide pyriproxyfen and the respiratory toxicant hydramethylnon, should be tested in order to maximise colony eradication from brood to queens

Resource competition assays between the African big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius) and the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr): mechanisms of inter-specific displacement

1. The spread of Argentine ants, Linepithema humile (Mayr), in introduced areas is mainly through the displacement of native ant species owing to high inter-specific competition. In South Africa, L. humile has not established in the climatically suitable eastern and northern escarpments dominated by the African big headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius), probably owing to local biotic resistance. 2. Inter-specific aggression, at the individual and colony level, and competition for a shared resource were evaluated in the laboratory. 3. Aggression between the two ant species was very high in all of the assays. Both species suffered similar mortality rates during one-on-one aggression assays, however, during symmetrical group confrontations, L. humile workers showed significantly higher mortality rates than P. megacephala workers. During asymmetrical group confrontations both species killed more of the other ant species when they had numeric advantage. Both ant species located the shared resource at the same time; however, once P. megacephala discovered the bait, they displaced L. humile from the bait through high inter-specific aggression, thereafter dominating the bait for the remainder of the trial. 4. The results demonstrate the potential of P. megacephala to prevent the establishment and survival of incipient L. humile colonies through enhanced resource competition and high inter-specific aggression. This is the first study to indicate potential biotic resistance to the spread of L. humile in South Africa

Polistes smithii vs. Polistes dominula: the contrasting endocrinology and epicuticular signaling of sympatric paper wasps in the field

Paper wasps of the family Vespidae exhibit a wide range of social lifestyles, from facultative eusocial groups to highly ritualistic swarm-founding societies. Even so, adult caste flexibility is widespread throughout the eusocial tribes. Thus, a common endocrine mechanism for caste determination and maintenance in paper wasps is expected, with Polistes dominula serving as a model for the study of mechanisms controlling phenotypic plasticity. In P. dominula, juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroids have been shown to have important caste-determining functions, are important for reproductive growth, and correlate with hydrocarbon signals on the cuticle. Yet research on swarm-founding vespids has shown that JH functions are surprisingly labile, begging the question as to how conserved JH functions are within Polistes, a non-swarming genus. Here, we compared the JH and ecdysteroid titers, cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles, and prospective visual signals of dominance of free-living foundresses from two sympatric and closely related species of Polistes in South Africa, the indigenous Polistes smithii and the invasive P. dominula. In contrast to P. dominula, neither the JH titer nor the CHC profile was linked to dominance or reproduction in P. smithii, and in both species, hemolymph ecdysteroids were essentially absent. Moreover, many of the relationships between hormones, reproduction, dominance, and social signals in P. dominula are in contrast to studies performed on northern hemisphere populations. The divergence of endocrine and chemical profiles within Polistes offers an unforeseen opportunity to study the evolution of proximate mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity

Factors affecting the dynamics of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) hybrid zone of South Africa

Hybrid zones are found wherever two populations distinguishable on the basis of heritable characters overlap spatially and temporally and hybridization occurs. If hybrids have lower fitness than the parental types a tension zone may emerge, in which there is a barrier to gene flow between the two parental populations. Here we discuss a hybrid zone between two honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera capensis and A. m. scutellata and argue that this zone is an example of a tension zone. This tension zone is particularly interesting because A. m. capensis can be a lethal social parasite of A. m. scutellata. However, despite its parasitic potential, A. m. capensis appears to be unable to increase its natural range unassisted. We propose three interlinked mechanisms that could maintain the South African honeybee hybrid zone: (1) low fitness of intercrossed and genetically mixed colonies arising from inadequate regulation of worker reproduction; (2) higher reproductive success of A. m. scutellata via both high dispersal rates into the hybrid zone and increased competitiveness of males, countered by (3) the parasitic nature of A. m. capensis.Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biolog

Virgin queen mandibular gland signals of Apis mellifera capensis change with age and affect honeybee worker responses

The mandibular gland secretions of Apis mellifera capensis virgin queens were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Changes in the patterns of the mandibular gland volatiles of A. m. capensis virgin queens were followed from emergence until 14-d old. Ontogenetic changes in the mandibular gland secretions were largely quantitative in nature, delineating the age categories (global R = 0.612, P = 0.001), except for 7- and 14-d-old queens, which cannot be separated on their mandibular gland profiles (P = 0.2). (E)-9-Oxodec-2-enoic acid (9ODA) contributes most and most consistently to the dissimilarity between groups as well as the similarity within groups. Worker reactions to introduced virgin queens of various ages were recorded. Workers showed a significant increase in hostile reactions as queens aged (r = 0.615, N = 20, P < 0.05). Consequently, worker reactions and relative 9ODA production exhibit a positive queen age-dependent response. © Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2006.Articl

A scientific note on the drone flight time of Apis mellifera capensis and A. m. scutellata

Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biolog

Cheating honeybee workers produce royal offspring

The Cape bee (Apis mellifera capensis) is unique among honeybees in that workers can lay eggs that instead of developing into males develop into females via thelytokous parthenogenesis. We show that this ability allows workers to compete directly with the queen over the production of new queens. Genetic analyses using microsatellites revealed that 23 out of 39 new queens produced by seven colonies were offspring of workers and not the resident queen. Of these, eight were laid by resident workers, but the majority were offspring of parasitic workers from other colonies. The parasites were derived from several clonal lineages that entered the colonies and successfully targeted queen cells for parasitism. Hence, these parasitic workers had the potential to become genetically reincarnated as queens. Of the daughter queens laid by the resident queen, three were produced asexually, suggesting that queens can ‘choose’ to produce daughter queens clonally and thus have the potential for genetic immortality.Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biolog