Forest logging is associated with shape of males and gynes in the wood ant Formica aquilonia

Abstract Environmental stress can affect individual development and fitness in insects. Forest logging is a serious environmental for forest-specialist insects, such as the mound-building wood ant Formica aquilonia Yarrow 1955 , which builds its nests into forests dependent on nutrition provided by forest habitat. We studied whether causes strong that it would be visible disproportionate growth shape of young winged gynes (‘queens’) males. measured head width, thorax width wing length 144 100 males from 12 six clear-cut areas, 11 unlogged stands 10 clear-cut—forest margins. observed different body parts allometric wings both sexes areas with logging-induced disturbance. Gynes had larger heads narrowest thoraxes edges. With an increasing decreases steeper clear-cuts than other habitats increases It seems strongly disturbed environment, invest width. There to trade-off between but not The altered may adaptation clearings caused storm events wild fires, management practices modern era. Large-headed better colony take-over, needed establishment new colonies early succession stage this temporally social parasitic species. Long-winged have long-range flight ability, they thus change disperse their genes onto habitats.