Acorn Ants May Create and Use Two Entrances to the Nest Cavity
Abstract
Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. The Study Species and the Study Site
2.2. Experiment 1 (Field Experiment): Do Acorn Ants Inhabit and Modify Imperfect Nest Sites?
- (1)
- ‘Open’—woodblock drilled lengthwise, where the hole was not closed;
- (2)
- ‘Partially closed’—woodblock drilled lengthwise, where the hole on one side was partially (halfway) closed with a beech plug, while the hole on the opposite side was not closed;
- (3)
- ‘With one side closed’—woodblock drilled lengthwise, where the hole was closed on one side with a beech plug, while the other hole was not closed.
2.3. Experiment 2 (Field Experiment): During Nest Repairs, Do Ant Colonies Create Additional Entrances?
2.4. Experiment 3 (Laboratory Experiment): Do the Ant Colonies Prefer a Nest Sites with One Entrance vs. a Nest Site with Two Entrances?
2.5. Statistical Analyses
3. Results
3.1. Experiment 1. (Field Experiment): Do Acorn Ants Inhabit and Modify Imperfect Nest Sites?
3.2. Experiment 2 (Field Experiment): During Nest Repairs, Do Ant Colonies Create Additional Entrances?
3.3. Experiment 3 (Laboratory Experiment): Do the Ant Colonies Prefer a Nest Sites with One Entrance vs. a Nest Site with Two Entrances?
4. Discussion
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Mitrus, S. Acorn Ants May Create and Use Two Entrances to the Nest Cavity. Insects 2021, 12, 912. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12100912
Mitrus S. Acorn Ants May Create and Use Two Entrances to the Nest Cavity. Insects. 2021; 12(10):912. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12100912
Chicago/Turabian StyleMitrus, Sławomir. 2021. "Acorn Ants May Create and Use Two Entrances to the Nest Cavity" Insects 12, no. 10: 912. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12100912
APA StyleMitrus, S. (2021). Acorn Ants May Create and Use Two Entrances to the Nest Cavity. Insects, 12(10), 912. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12100912