ISSN:
1420-9098
Keywords:
Recruitment
;
trail marking
;
pheromone trails
;
trail maintenance
;
patrolling
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Summary Establishment and maintenance of foraging trails to an artificial nectar source by ten colonies ofParaponera davata (Fabr.) in Panama is reported. The first forager to locate the artificial nectar source was responsible for recruiting additional foragers and for marking trails to orient these foragers. More than half of the trail marking was performed by the first two ants to mark the path back to the colony, although up to 11 ants per colony per hour marked trails. The number of trail marks and the number of marking ants decreased through time, presumably as foragers learned the location of the artificial nectar source. Four categories of recruits were noted: markers, foragers, patrollers, and visitors.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01314908
