Polygyny and strong genetic structuring within an isolated population of the wood ant Formica rufa

Social structuring of populations within some Formica species exhibits considerable variation going from monodomous and monogynous populations to polydomous, polygynous populations. The wood ant species Formica rufa appears to be mainly monodomous and monogynous throughout most of its distribution area in central and northern Europe. Only occasionally it was mentioned that F. rufa can have both polygynous and monogynous colonies in the same geographical region. We studied an isolated polydomous F. rufa population in a deciduous mixed forest in the north-west of Belgium. The level of poly-domy within the colonies varied from monodomous to 11 nests per colony. Our genetic analysis of eight variable microsatellites suggest an oligo- to polygynous structure for at least the major part of the sampled nests. Relatedness amongst nest mate workers varies considerable within the population and colonies but confirms in general a polygynous structure. Additionally high genetic diversity (e.g. up to 8 out of 11 alleles per nest for the most variable locus) and high within nest genetic variance (93%) indicate that multiple queens contribute to the gene pool of workers of the same nest. Moreover significant genetic structuring among colonies indicates that gene flow between colonies is restricted and that exchange of workers between colonies is very limited. Finally we explain how possible factors as budding and the absence of Serviformica can explain the differences in genetic structure within this polygynous F. rufa population

The use of low cost compact cameras with focus stacking functionality in entomological digitization projects

Digitization of specimen collections has become a key priority of many natural history museums. The camera systems built for this purpose are expensive, providing a barrier in institutes with limited funding, and therefore hampering progress. An assessment is made on whether a low cost compact camera with image stacking functionality can help expedite the digitization process in large museums or provide smaller institutes and amateur entomologists with the means to digitize their collections. Images of a professional setup were compared with the Olympus Stylus TG-4 Tough, a low-cost compact camera with internal focus stacking functions. Parameters considered include image quality, digitization speed, price, and ease-of-use. The compact camera’s image quality, although inferior to the professional setup, is exceptional considering its fourfold lower price point. Producing the image slices in the compact camera is a matter of seconds and when optimal image quality is less of a priority, the internal stacking function omits the need for dedicated stacking software altogether, further decreasing the cost and speeding up the process. In general, it is found that, aware of its limitations, this compact camera is capable of digitizing entomological collections with sufficient quality. As technology advances, more institutes and amateur entomologists will be able to easily and affordably catalogue their specimens

Ant biodiversity conservation in Belgian calcareous grasslands: active management is vital

A list of ant species collected in eight calcareous grasslands in the Viroin valley (Viroinval, Belgium) is presented. Thirty species were identified, including Temnothorax albipennis, for the first time recorded in Belgium. Ant community composition and chorology of some ant species are discussed. Recommendations on how to use ant community composition and nest densities of several ant species to evaluate management in calcareous grasslands are given. It appears that in locations with encroachment of tall grasses (especially Brachypodium pinnatum) and spontaneous afforestation, due to a complete lack of or to inadequate management, most of the often rare xerophilic ant species are replaced by mesophilic, rather common species

They live under our streets: ant nests (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in urban pavements

peer reviewedIn the context of global insect decline, the urbanisation process plays a key role. However, urban pavements, which are considered to be impervious to biodiversity, can harbour ground-nesting insects under certain conditions. Recent observations have revealed the presence of Formicidae nests under urban pavements. The aim of this work is to determine the species richness of Formicidae nesting under urban pavements in the Brussels-Capital Region (Belgium) and to characterise their nest environment and soil texture. Seven ant species were identified in 120 nesting sites: Lasius niger, Lasius brunneus, Lasius flavus, Lasius fuliginosus, Tetramorium caespitum, Tetramorium impurum and Myrmica rugulosa. Concrete slabs or natural stones with a sandy sub-layer are the main structures in which ants nest. In addition, nests were mainly found under modular pavements with degraded rigid joints. The results of this work highlight the capacity of urban structures to host part of ant biodiversity in cities

From theory to practice: a photographic inventory of museum collections to optimize collection management

The digitization of museum specimens is a key priority in the Digital Era. Digital databases help to avoid unnecessary manipulation hazards to delicate collections, increase their accessibility to third party researchers, and contribute to the ongoing documentation of global biodiversity. Time, workforce and the need of specialized infrastructures limit the processing of the vast number of specimens in natural history collections. Cheaper, easy-to-use methods and volunteer programs are developing quickly to help bridge the gap. We present the results of combining citizen science for the digitization of an entomological collection in conjunction with the cooperation of a taxonomic expert for the remote identification of samples. In addition, we provide an assessment of the avoided monetary costs and the time needed for each step of the process. A photographic inventory of specimens belonging to the leaf beetle genus Calligrapha was compiled by volunteers using a low-cost compact camera and the species were identified using these images. Using digital photographs allowed for a rapid screening of specimens in the collection and resulted in an updated taxonomic identification of the Calligrapha collection at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. The pictures of the specimens and their original labels, as well as the new information from this endeavor were placed in an online public catalogue. This study demonstrates a worked example of how digitization has led to a practical, useful outcome through cooperation with an end user and highlights the value of museum collection digitization projects

Distribution and habitat preferences of Galápagos ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Presentamos la primera revisión exhaustiva de los taxones de hormigas del archipiélago de Galápagos. La revisión se basa en datos recopilados durante búsquedas bibliográficas, encuestas de campo y la revisión de especímenes de museos, e incluye información sobre la distribución, hábitat y ecología de 47 especies. Se supone que al menos nueve de estas especies son nativas o endémicas de las islas y al menos 32 especies se han introducido a través de vías asociadas a los humanos. Se desconoce el estado de las seis especies restantes. La información compilada en este estudio nos permitirá comprender mejor el papel ecológico de las especies indígenas y su potencial como indicadores de la salud del ecosistema. La información de referencia sobre la distribución de hormigas introducidas será indispensable para evaluar el impacto y la propagación dentro del archipiélago.We present the first comprehensive review of the ant taxa of the Galápagos archipelago. The review is based on data gathered during literature searches, field surveys, and the revision ofmuseum specimens, and includes information on the distribution, habitat, and ecology of 47 species. At least nine of these species are assumed to be native or endemic to the islands and at least 32 species have been introduced through human-associated pathways. The status of the remaining six species is unknown. The information compiled in this study will allow us to better understand the ecological role of indigenous species and their potential as indicators of ecosystem health. Baseline information on the distribution of introduced ants will be indispensable for assessing impact and spread within the archipelago

Evaluating Efficiency of Different Sampling Methods for Arboreal Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in A West African Forest-Savanna Mosaic

Ants constitute an important part of arboreal arthropod biomass in rainforests. Nevertheless, there are only a few methods which permit a rapid assessment of these insects in the canopy layer. This study aims at evaluating the efficiency of a new variant type of pitfall trap i.e. “the funnel trap”, to sample arboreal ants in a secondary and gallery forest in Lamto reserve (Côte d’Ivoire). This method was compared to standard arboreal pitfall trap and beating. In total, the 3 methods yielded 7072 ant workers belonging to 43 species, 14 genera and 5 subfamilies. Tree beating recorded the highest ant’s numerical abundance (3670 workers), with 27 species, 12 genera and 3 subfamilies followed by the “funnel trap” that yielded 2800 ant workers, with 23 species belonging to 12 genera and 5 subfamilies. Finally, arboreal pitfall traps caught the lowest individual with 602 ant workers from 20 species belonging to 9 genera and 3 subfamilies. The composition of species which are caught by arboreal pitfall trap and “funnel trap” was similar at 53 percent. Tree beating showed a distinct species composition compared to arboreal pitfall trap and “funnel trap”. The “funnel trap” could be a fast and efficient way to quickly assess ant-biodiversity in forest canopies and agroecosystems as it looks like a non-destructive sampling method

Focus stacking: Comparing commercial top-end set-ups with a semi-automatic low budget approach. A possible solution for mass digitization of type specimens

peer reviewedIn this manuscript we present a focus stacking system, composed of commercial photographic equipment. The system is inexpensive compared to high-end commercial focus stacking solutions. We tested this system and compared the results with several different software packages (CombineZP, Auto-Montage, Helicon Focus and Zerene Stacker). We tested our final stacked picture with a picture obtained from two high-end focus stacking solutions: a Leica MZ16A with DFC500 and a Leica Z6APO with DFC290. Zerene Stacker and Helicon Focus both provided satisfactory results. However, Zerene Stacker gives the user more possibilities in terms of control of the software, batch processing and retouching. The outcome of the test on high-end solutions demonstrates that our approach performs better in several ways. The resolution of the tested extended focus pictures is much higher than those from the Leica systems. The flash lighting inside the Ikea closet creates an evenly illuminated picture, without struggling with filters, diffusers, etc. The largest benefit is the price of the set-up which is approximately € 3,000, which is 8 and 10 times less than the LeicaZ6APO and LeicaMZ16A set-up respectively. Overall, this enables institutions to purchase multiple solutions or to start digitising the type collection on a large scale even with a small budget