How a group foraging myrmicine ant overwhelms large prey items (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The hunting behavior of Myrmicaria opaciventris was examined in order to evaluate if it can be used as a biological control agent against pest insects, particularly large individuals. To that end, we studied the predatory behavior of workers when confronted with katydids 10-20mm and 40-50mm long (two to seven times the length of the workers). Hunting workers forage in groups and recruit nestmates at short-range through visual and olfactory cues. The number of recruited workers is correlated with the size of the prey, while movements of the prey can trigger supernumerary recruitment, Prey were stretched by several workers while others spread venom on their body and carved them up. All grasshoppers 40-50mm long were carved up while the smaller items (10-20mm) were either retrieved whole or carved up. Group retrieval occurred for whole grasshoppers 10-20mm long and for large pieces of 40-50mm long individuals. The number of workers, foraging in the area where a large prey was captured, was significantly larger than before the introduction of the prey, and for at least one hour after its retrieval.