Nest Emigration Behavior of the Asian Needle Ant, Brachyponera (=Pachycondyla) chinensis Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract

Ant colonies change nest location in response to physical disturbance, climate fluctuation, and resource availability. During the emigration process, worker recruitment is vital to ensuring that individual colony members are moved to the new nest site. Recruitment methods used during emigration differ between ant species. In a laboratory study, we investigated the recruitment behaviors of the invasive Asian needle ant, Brachyponera (=Pachycondyla) chinensis (Emery), during nest emigration. Subsets of P. chinensis worker ants were subjected to physical nest disturbance, and the recruitment methods and associated behaviors were recorded. Before recruitment to the new nest location began, B. chinensis ants organized into three distinctive groups: queen-tending, brood-tending, and scouting. Once the new nest site was identified, scout ants began physically transporting nestmates into the new harborage. Transport rates increased with time in the first 30 minutes and did not change during the 30to 55 minute interval when brood was transported. However, adult transport rate increased again after brood transport was completed and decreased after 90 minutes. These studies are the first to identify the recruitment methods, division of labor, and social organization behavior of B. chinensis during nest emigration.

Warming promotes non‐native invasive ants while inhibiting native ant communities

“…obs .). Unlike S. invicta , B. chinensis queens will establish colonies in forested habitats, though they seem to prefer edge habitat (Allen, 2017; Guenard & Dunn, 2010; Warren II et al, 2020). Where established, B. chinensis forms polydomous nests that can include hundreds to thousands of workers (Zungoli & Benson, 2008, Warren, pers.…”

Reactions Of Brachyponera Luteipes to Contacts with Different Social Insects

“…Rotten wood is also the place where many other ant species are active, like Pheidole sp., Camponotus sp., and Tetramorium sp.. They are all dangerous competitors to Brachyponera sp., plus the population of Brachyponera luteipes and Brachyponera chinensis is not very large [8]. Among those ants, members of Pheidole are very aggressive and deadly, because they have soldier caste, they can pose a great threat toward larger arthropods than themselves, during the fight, their workers can pin down their victim by biting its antennas and legs, and simultaneously they call for soldiers.…”