Pogonomyrmex badius
| Pogonomyrmex badius | |
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| Pogonomyrmex badius worker | |
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| Species: | P. badius
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| Binomial name | |
| Pogonomyrmex badius (Latreille, 1802)
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Pogonomyrmex badius, or the Florida harvester ant, is a species of harvester ant in the genus Pogonomyrmex.[1] It is the only Pogonomyrmex species found on the east coast of the United States and the only one found in North America known to be polymorphic.[2][3] The species is ubiquitous in the Florida scrub habitats.
Biology
Colonies can commonly be found nesting within well-drained sandy soils in xeric shrublands, grasslands, woodlands, and intact coastal dunes.[4] The nests of mature colonies are very deep; usually 2.5 to 3.0 meters deep with seeds being stored about 40-100 cm in the largest chambers below ground.[5] On the surface, the relatively flat crater mound is decorated with detritus and charred plant matter, though the reason for this is unknown. Labor partitioning is organized spatially in respect to the vertical axis of the nest as well as by age. The youngest workers, which care for the brood and queen, reside in the deepest portions of the nest while the oldest workers that actively forage and maintain the nest are found near the surface.[6] Seed species widely collected includes Paspalum setaceum, Dicanthelium commutatum, Croton michauxii and others; though the species preferred is limited as workers cannot open seeds no wider than 1-1.4mm.[5] Among harvester ants P.badius is unusual for their frequent nest relocations, with colonies on average relocating once per year at a distance of 4-10 meters from the original nest site.[7] The benefits of these relocations is unknown. Workers of the species are highly polymorphic, ranging from 6.35mm for the smallest workers to 9.52mm for the largest majors which can rival the queen in size. Workers are most active in low relative humidity and high temperatures.[8]
Colonies become reproductively mature at a population size greater than 700 workers. Nuptial flights were observed from May to June, most frequently occurring in days of calm, sunny and humid mornings between the hours of 9 AM - 2 PM following a heavy downpour. Female alates are found mating with unrelated males at leks or at the surface of their natal nest.[9] [10]
References
- ^ Bolton, B. (2015). "Pogonomyrmex badius". AntCat. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ Cole, Arthur C (1968). Pogonomyrmex harvester ants. A study of the genus in North America. Knoxville, Tennessee: University of Tennessee Press. ASIN B0006BUR4W.[page needed]
- ^ "Florida harvester ant - Pogonomyrmex badius".
- ^ https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_badius
- ^ a b Tschinkel, Walter R.; Domínguez, Daniel J.; Pratt, Stephen C. (1 March 2017). "An illustrated guide to seeds found in nests of the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius". PLOS ONE. 12 (3): e0171419. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0171419. PMC 5331987. PMID 28248988.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Tschinkel, Walter R. (2 July 2004). "The nest architecture of the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius". Journal of Insect Science. 4: 21. doi:10.1093/jis/4.1.21. PMC 528881. PMID 15861237.
- ^ Tschinkel, Walter R. (19 November 2014). "Nest Relocation and Excavation in the Florida Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex badius". PLOS ONE. 9 (11): e112981. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0112981. PMC 4237378. PMID 25409332.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/harvester_ant.htm
- ^ Smith, C. R.; Tschinkel, W. R. (23 October 2006). "The sociometry and sociogenesis of reproduction in the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius". Journal of Insect Science. 6 (32): 1–11. doi:10.1673/2006_06_32.1. PMC 2990325. PMID 19537980.
- ^ https://www.jstor.org/stable/3495654?seq=1
External links
Media related to Pogonomyrmex badius at Wikimedia Commons
