ANT GUESTS

• 1. Crustaceans

1.1. Platyarthrus schoblii Budde-Lund, 1885 (Isopoda, Oniscidea) 

This tiny (2-4 mm), whitish woodlouse, is known from the Azores, the north Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. It inhabits the nest of several species of ants in the genera Formica, Lasius, Linepithema and Messor. It was found outside of that region, in Hungary, within the nests of Lasius neglectus. For a summary update of its distribution and biology see Tartally et al. (2004) at 

Want to see it alive? Click here: (video:16”; 2.3 Mb. View/download).

1.2. Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii Brandt, 1833 (Isopoda, Oniscidea)

This woodlouse is widely distributed in Europe. It has been detected in nests of L. neglectus in Belgium (Dekoninck et al. 2007), showing that this ant is able to host also local woodlouse species. See the distinct aspect of the two Platyarthrus species in the following image.

(Image from Tartally et al. 2004: A: P. schoblii; B: P. hoffmannsseggii)

• 2. Coleoptera

2.1. Clytra laeviuscula Ratzeburg, 1837 (Chrysomelidae)  

(Image from http://culex.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/European%20Chrysomelidae/clytra%20laeviuscula.htm ) 

A few larvae were found inside the nest of Lasius neglectus at Sant Cugat (Barcelona, Spain) nesting at the base of a poplar tree (Populus nigra), close to the railway. One male eclosed at the laboratory. Those larvae are supposed to eat ant eggs and larvae.

2.2. Amphotis marginata (Fabricius, 1781) (Nitidulidae) 

 (Image from www.zin.ru/Animalia/ Coleoptera/rus/ampmarhe.htm ) 

One beetle was recovered in the nest of Lasius neglectus at an outpost of the extensive Seva (Barcelona, Spain) supercolony. It feeds by forcing regurgitation in returning laden workers. If attacked, the beetle crouches down and is protected by its peculiar cuticular flanges. 

• 3. Orthoptera

3.1. Myrmecophilus (Myrmecophilus) acervorum Panzer, 1799 (Gryllidae) 

Myrmecophilus crickets are to be found within the nests of many ant species. Female (inset: ovipositor).

The small, blind crickets, were found in the nest of L. neglectus from five populations in Barcelona province: Bellaterra (one female, 2.iv.2003; one male, 16.vi.2004), Seva (one male, one female, 30.iv.2003), Begues (one juvenile, 20.x.2005), Badalona (27.ix.2005) and Matadepera (1 male, 3 females, 3 nymphs, 22.x.2009, ) (Espadaler & Olmo, 2011). Another possible name to apply is M. myrmecophilus but its status as a good species is still unsettled. Have a look at those nervous, interesting crickets! (video: 20”; 2.8 Mb. View/download).

• 4. Collembola

4.1. Cyphoderus albinus Nicolet, 1842 (Cyphoderidae)

This springtail has been recently found in nests of L. neglectus in Belgium (Dekoninck et al. 2007). The species is a common occurrence within nests of European ants.

(Image from http://www.geocities.com/~fransjanssens/taxa/collembo.htm)

• 1. Aphids

1.1. Aphids tended by Lasius neglectus in Spain. The ants has been recorded from >30 tree species in Spain; therefore, it is likely that the aphid species involved are also varied. Here are a few examples.

On a young, lateral shoot of Quercus ilex.

Tending blackish aphids on Cirsium eriophorum.

Tending Lachnus roboris on a branch Quercus ilex. Lachnus roboris (Lachnidae). This enormous aphid, feeding on Quercus ilex, is an important honeydew source for Lasius neglectus at the populations of Bellaterra and Seva. See him walking: (video: 23”; 3.2 Mb. View/download).

The emission of plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) depends on temperature and light.  Other factors such as insect herbivory also may modify VOC emission. Aphid feeding promotes the release of new compounds and changes the composition of plant volatile mixtures. The effect of Lachnus roboris aphids and two different tending ant species on terpene emission rates of 4-year-old holm oak (Quercus ilex) saplings was investigated during a field experiment. There were five treatments: saplings alone (T1), saplings infested with L. roboris aphids (T2), saplings infested with aphids tended by the local ant Lasius grandis (T3), those tended by small colonies of the invasive ant Lasius neglectus (T4), and those tended by large colonies of the same invasive ant species (T5).
The infestation by Lachnus roboris elicited the emission of Δ3-carene and increased the emission of myrcene and γ-terpinene. Terpene emissions were modified depending on the tending ant species. Attendance by the native ant L. grandis increased α and β- pinene and sabinene. Attendance by the invasive ant L. neglectus only decreased significantly the emission of myrcene, one of the major compounds of the Q. ilex mixture. Aphid abundance was not correlated with total terpene emission rates. These results highlight that aphids and tending ants may change terpene emission rates, depending on the ant species (Paris et al. 2010).
 

• 2. Birds

2.1. Lasius neglectus – and other ant species- as prey for birds

In February and March 2000, and along the sideways of some non urbanized lots, we observed that the soil was excavated all along. A bird was seen at that level and thereafter droppings were recovered from the same area. Here are and this is what they contained.  Birds in the Picidae are known to feed extensively on ants but we cannot tell for sure the bird we saw belonged in that family.

Bird droppings	Close-up view of content	Heads and other debris of one Camponotus, three Crematogaster scutellaris and a dozen Lasius neglectus.

Mean number of individual ants per g dry mass of excrement is 1880 (n=3 fragments). Dry mass of two complete excrements is 0.36g and 0.72g, that is, they would contain 680 and 1360 ants