ANTI-PREDATOR BEHAVIOR IN THE ANT PHEIDOLE-DESERTORUM - THE IMPORTANCE OF MULTIPLE NESTS

The relationship between emigrations and anti-predator behavior in the ant Pheidole desertorum was investigated in the field. Frequent emigrations in P. desertorum result in the colony having multiple nests, of which only one is occupied at a time. A field procedure demonstrated that the ants quickly find and enter the unoccupied nests after a nest evacuation caused by the army ant Neivamyrmex nigrescens. When colonies were denied access to their unoccupied nests after an evacuation, survival of the brood and alates was significantly lower than in colonies allowed access to all their nests. Emigraitons in P. desertorum are apparently part of a defense strategy against army ants.