Homeward navigation in Pogonomyrmex occidentalis harvester ants

Genetic caste determination in Pogonomyrmex harvester ants

Division of labour between reproductive queens and sterile workers is a hallmark of insect societies and an important component of their ecological success (Hölldobler & Wilson, 1990). In ants and other social Hymenoptera forming large and complex societies, reproductive division of labour is generally associated with marked morphological differences between the queen and worker castes. These d...

Polyandry and fitness in the western harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis.

Using four highly polymorphic microsatellite markers (12-28 alleles), we gentoyped workers from 63 colonies of Pogonomyrmex occidentalis. Colonies have a single, multiply mated queen, and an average number of 6.3 patrilines per colony. Colony growth was measured over an 8-year period in the study population. Intracolonial relatedness and colony growth are correlated negatively, indicating a sub...

The structure of foraging activity in colonies of the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

The timing of activity by desert dwelling poikilotherms can be critical to survival. In the western harvester ant, colonies that have higher levels of genetic diversity forage for longer time periods in the morning than colonies with less diversity. We determined whether the advantage of early foraging colonies was consistent by examining foraging behavior at other times of day and year. We use...

Fifteen Years of Colony Dynamics in Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, the Western Harvester Ant, in Western Nebraska

Is a Corpse a Corpse? Spatial Aspects of Necrophoresis in the Western Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Disease poses a threat to any society, and this threat is amplified for societies persisting in cramped quarters over extended periods of time. Highly social (eusocial) insects actively combat the danger of pathogen proliferation with a myriad of tactics, one of which is necrophoresis or the removal of corpses from the nest. This study examines the spatial patterns of the corpse depositions of ...