Aggression in wood ants (Formica polyctena Foerst., Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract

The relationship between aggression and predation was surveyed in Red wood ants, in the field as well as under laboratory conditions. Aggression between wood ant nests is highest in early spring, and many wood ant wars break out then. The end of these wars coincides with a strong increase in prey density. Since the casualties are taken as food to the warring nests, a hypothesis is formulated that warfare between wood ant nests only occurs in periods when prey demand exceeds the supply. Protein‐rich food in early spring is mainly for the benefit of the queens and the sexual larvae. Although the most obvious function of warfare is the defence of a foraging area, the main function may be the advancement of the mating flight dates of the queens in order to make the chance of propagating their genes greatest.

Limited dispersal and an unexpected aggression pattern in a native supercolonial ant

“…However, some previous studies have also shown aggression within large polydomous Formica exsecta colonies (Katzerke, Neumann, Pirk, Bliss, & Moritz, 2006; Pisarski, 1982). Observations of seasonal and resource‐dependent differences in aggression levels (Katzerke et al, 2006; Mabelis, 1979, 1984; Sorvari & Hakkarainen, 2004), and seasonal variation in supercolony genetic structure (Elias et al, 2005; Schultner, Saramäki, & Helanterä, 2016), suggest that further temporal analysis of aggression patterns in supercolonial Formica is needed.…”

Limited dispersal and an unexpected aggression pattern in a native supercolonial ant

“…However, some previous studies have also shown aggression within large polydomous Formica exsecta colonies (Katzerke, Neumann, Pirk, Bliss, & Moritz, 2006; Pisarski, 1982). Observations of seasonal and resource‐dependent differences in aggression levels (Katzerke et al, 2006; Mabelis, 1979, 1984; Sorvari & Hakkarainen, 2004), and seasonal variation in supercolony genetic structure (Elias et al, 2005; Schultner, Saramäki, & Helanterä, 2016), suggest that further temporal analysis of aggression patterns in supercolonial Formica is needed.…”

Limited dispersal and an unexpected aggression pattern in a native supercolonial ant

“…However, some previous studies have also shown aggression within large polydomous Formica exsecta colonies (Pisarski 1982; Katzerke et al 2006). Observations of seasonal and resource dependent differences in aggression levels (Mabelis 1979; Mabelis 1984; Sorvari and Hakkarainen 2004), and seasonal variation in supercolony genetic structure (Elias et al 2005; Schultner et al 2016), suggest that further temporal analysis of aggression patterns in supercolonial Formica is needed.…”

Food resources, chemical signaling, and nest mate recognition in the ant Formica aquilonia

“…This suggests that ants experiencing poor conditions are less likely to initiate aggression. In the light of these results, it would be interesting to investigate the natural cannibalistic wood ant wars (Mabelis 1984) and determine who initiates those: the hungrier ones or the better fed neighbors. Contrary to expectations, the large workers were not more likely to initiate aggression, even though large workers often have defensive tasks in colonies (Brian 1983;Rosengren and Sundström 1987;Hölldobler and Wilson 1990).…”

Limited dispersal and an unexpected aggression pattern in a native supercolonial ant

“…However, some previous studies have also shown aggression within large polydomous Formica exsecta colonies (Katzerke, Neumann, Pirk, Bliss, & Moritz, 2006; Pisarski, 1982). Observations of seasonal and resource‐dependent differences in aggression levels (Katzerke et al, 2006; Mabelis, 1979, 1984; Sorvari & Hakkarainen, 2004), and seasonal variation in supercolony genetic structure (Elias et al, 2005; Schultner, Saramäki, & Helanterä, 2016), suggest that further temporal analysis of aggression patterns in supercolonial Formica is needed.…”

Limited dispersal and an unexpected aggression pattern in a native supercolonial ant

“…However, some previous studies have also shown aggression within large polydomous Formica exsecta colonies (Pisarski 1982; Katzerke et al 2006). Observations of seasonal and resource dependent differences in aggression levels (Mabelis 1979; Mabelis 1984; Sorvari and Hakkarainen 2004), and seasonal variation in supercolony genetic structure (Elias et al 2005; Schultner et al 2016), suggest that further temporal analysis of aggression patterns in supercolonial Formica is needed.…”

Food resources, chemical signaling, and nest mate recognition in the ant Formica aquilonia

“…This suggests that ants experiencing poor conditions are less likely to initiate aggression. In the light of these results, it would be interesting to investigate the natural cannibalistic wood ant wars (Mabelis 1984) and determine who initiates those: the hungrier ones or the better fed neighbors. Contrary to expectations, the large workers were not more likely to initiate aggression, even though large workers often have defensive tasks in colonies (Brian 1983;Rosengren and Sundström 1987;Hölldobler and Wilson 1990).…”

Limited dispersal and an unexpected aggression pattern in a native supercolonial ant

“…However, some previous studies have also shown aggression within large polydomous Formica exsecta colonies (Katzerke, Neumann, Pirk, Bliss, & Moritz, 2006; Pisarski, 1982). Observations of seasonal and resource‐dependent differences in aggression levels (Katzerke et al, 2006; Mabelis, 1979, 1984; Sorvari & Hakkarainen, 2004), and seasonal variation in supercolony genetic structure (Elias et al, 2005; Schultner, Saramäki, & Helanterä, 2016), suggest that further temporal analysis of aggression patterns in supercolonial Formica is needed.…”

Limited dispersal and an unexpected aggression pattern in a native supercolonial ant

“…However, some previous studies have also shown aggression within large polydomous Formica exsecta colonies (Pisarski 1982; Katzerke et al 2006). Observations of seasonal and resource dependent differences in aggression levels (Mabelis 1979; Mabelis 1984; Sorvari and Hakkarainen 2004), and seasonal variation in supercolony genetic structure (Elias et al 2005; Schultner et al 2016), suggest that further temporal analysis of aggression patterns in supercolonial Formica is needed.…”

Food resources, chemical signaling, and nest mate recognition in the ant Formica aquilonia

“…This suggests that ants experiencing poor conditions are less likely to initiate aggression. In the light of these results, it would be interesting to investigate the natural cannibalistic wood ant wars (Mabelis 1984) and determine who initiates those: the hungrier ones or the better fed neighbors. Contrary to expectations, the large workers were not more likely to initiate aggression, even though large workers often have defensive tasks in colonies (Brian 1983;Rosengren and Sundström 1987;Hölldobler and Wilson 1990).…”