Yellow thief ant
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Yellow thief ant ( Solenopsis fugax ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Solenopsis fugax | ||||||||||||
| ( Latreille , 1798) |
The yellow thief ant ( Solenopsis fugax ), also called thieving dwarf ant , is a species of ant from the subfamily of knot ants (Myrmicinae). It is characterized by its kleptoparasitic way of life and occurs in Central Europe .
features
The tiny workers are light yellow in color and have a body length of about 1.5 to three millimeters. The compound eyes are small and only consist of six to nine individual ommatids . The propodeum is steeply sloping towards the rear and has no thorns. The males and queens are dark brown to black in color and are much larger than the workers. The males are 3.5 to 5 millimeters long, the females 5 to 6.5 millimeters. The yellow thief ant is equipped with an effective poison sting . Their sting is relatively harmless to humans, in contrast to some other representatives of the fire ants .
distribution
The species is widespread in Central and Southern Europe and is also native to the British Isles . North of the Alps , Solenopsis fugax is the only representative of the fire ants. It occurs sporadically in southern Sweden up to the 58th parallel. However, consistent populations can only be found in warmer areas. It is sometimes quite common in climatically favorable locations in central and southern Germany . It mainly uses flat, heat-favored locations with dry, sandy subsoil with sparse vegetation or dry grass . Stony, rocky soil and urban areas are also populated.
Way of life
The colonies become quite populous, often with a few 100,000 workers and several queens. The species is very aggressive towards nest disturbances. In a short time, a large number of female workers can be recruited to fight. They use their effective venomous sting and use a repellent substance that has a deterrent effect on other ants.
nutrition
The yellow thief ant feeds on a kleptobiotic diet in larger ant species. It uses part of the registered prey of its hosts, but mainly the eggs, larvae and pupae. Even without host ants, this species is able to survive and feed on carrion and small arthropods . In addition, it operates trophobiosis with subterranean leaf and scale insects . If other food sources are used in addition to kleptobiosis, the result is much larger workers, so-called “major” workers. With a purely kleptobiotic diet there are only very small workers.
Nest building
The nests are always built underground in the open field or under the protection of stones. They are often located in the immediate vicinity of the nests of their host ants. Small, narrow corridors 1 millimeter in diameter lead into the alien nests to provide access for raids. The other ants cannot follow through the narrow passages.
Reproduction
The swarming season is between late August and early October. The sex animals swarm on warm afternoons, both on sunny and overcast days. The main swarms usually take place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The mating takes place in flight. Huge clouds of flying animals are in the air. Then the young queens spread or sink to the ground at the mating location and shed their wings. The founding of the colony usually takes place claustrally . Often, young queens are also taken back into the mother's nest. In addition, colony foundations can also take place via branch nest formation.
Systematics
Occasionally the yellow thief ant is placed in the subgenus Diplorhoptrum .
The name Solenopsis fugax is actually not secured, as type specimens apparently can no longer be found in the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris. The original description by Latreille does not allow a species diagnosis.
Synonyms
The following synonyms for Solenopsis fugax are known from the literature :
- Myrmica flavidula Nylander
- Solenopsis fugax var. Kasalinensis Emery
- Solenopsis orbula var. Latroides Ruzsky
- Solenopsis fugax subsp. orientalis Ruzsky
- Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. Debilior Santschi
- Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var.pontica Santschi
- Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. Scythica Santschi
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Heiko Bellmann : bees, wasps, ants. Hymenoptera of Central Europe . Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 1995, ISBN 3-440-09690-4
- ↑ a b c d e Bernhard Seifert: The ants of Central and Northern Europe . lutra Verlags- und Vertriebsgesellschaft, Görlitz / Tauer 2007, ISBN 978-3-936412-03-1
- ^ Solenopsis fugax (Latreille, 1798). www.formicidae.be, accessed July 13, 2008 .
literature
- Bert Hölldobler , Edward O. Wilson : Ants. The discovery of a fascinating world. Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel - Boston - Berlin 1995. ISBN 3-7643-5152-7
Web links
- Article in the AmeisenWiki
- Photos at ameisen-net.de
- Millimeter scale images of Solenopsis fugax : Queen and worker
