Life duration and turnover of foragers in the ant Cataglyphis Bicolor (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

摘要: 1) Foraging workers of nests ofCataglyphis bicolor Fabricius in a study area Southern Tunisia, were captured, individually marked, and released. Subsequent censuses showed constant daily loss 16.4% the number individuals. Evidence is given that losses are due to high mortality risk which foragers may incur, particularly substantial predation pressure (mainly by spiders robber-flies). Therefore, foraging experience an expected half life time 4.2 days expectancy 6.1 days. 2) In field experiment, different ontogenetic stages (callows, repletes, interior workers, foragers) collected from secondary nest polydomous colony, marked then introduced nearby undisturbed main this colony. The behaviour these individuals, after their appearance as foragers, was recorded during two months. callows remained for approximately four weeks (range 10 43 days) before they started forage. From sequence various groups, it concluded first serve seem carry out other duties finally appear outside start forage. 3) The total did not change significantly experiment (averaging 290 summer months). thus suggests occurrence turnover eventually leads replacement callow production. ants on census day could be predicted model taking into account date forager mortality. 4) The observation known runs/individual/day does increase with ant has already foraged. On hand, duration runs increased considerably (from 23 min few 62 week later). Similarly, more likely find food item run increasing (finds 25% at beginning career, 80% week). 5) This short impose major constraint opportunities learn about environment, e.g. sample locations food. In system rapid might also important ants, any one direction nest, adjusted according changes availability.