Hyenism in Ants: Non-Target Ants Profit From Polyergus rufescens Raids (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Pavel Pech
2014 Sociobiology  
The presence of slavemaker ants alters the structure of the ant community. The influence of slavemakers on non-host ants is believed to be indirect, via changing competitive interactions among the ants. According to my observation Myrmica sabuleti (and probably also Lasius alienus) profited from a Polyergus rufescens raid against a Formica fusca nest. Both non-host species collected F. fusca corpses. These carcasses were used as food in the case of M. sabuleti at least. M. sabuleti profited
more » ... tantially from the Polyergus raid because the dry biomass weight of the collected F. fusca carcasses was approximately half of the dry biomass weight of all M. sabuleti workers.
doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v59i1.667 fatcat:g6yvpaighjfvjpz6paqlvescia