Use of leaf-cutter ant fungus gardens as nurseries for eggs of Ashmead's Banded Cat-Eyed Snakes, Leptodeira Ashmeadii (Hallowell 1845)

Abstract

L eaf-cutter ant nests have a complex and specialized internal structure that allows them not only to maintain stable microenvironmental conditions where they can shelter their colonies, but also to protect themselves from various predators and intruders (Bollazzi and Roces 2002;Diehl-Fleig and Diehl 2007;Velásquez-Múnera et al. 2008). These characteristics allow colonies to have multiple types of interactions with other species, varying from those that can use colony debris to others that present coevolutionary relationships (Mehdiabadi

First Observations of Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) Communal Oviposition within An Active Ant Nest of Lasius interjectus

“…While this observation is the first report of a snake communally nesting within a North American active ant nest, inquiline oviposition by snakes within active ant nests has been described for several species in Central America, South America, and Africa (Table 1). In most of these cases, the snake-nesting associations are with species of hypogeic leaf-cutter or fungus-farming ants (Sierra-Serrano et al 2023.) However, for Thelotornis kirtlandii (Hallowell) (Forest Vine Snake) in Ivory Coast, the nesting association is with arboreal-nesting ants (Nagy et al 2015).…”