Soil selection by Acromyrmex striatus (Roger) females (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for nest building

Abstract

In this work we determined if newly inseminated females of Acromyrmex striatus (Roger) selected a specific type of soil for building the nest. We analyzed the relation between the number of females and the number of available areas for colony foundation. The results showed that haplometrosis (i.e., one female build the nest) and pleometrosis (i.e., several females build one nest), are used for colony foundation. Among sandy, argillaceous and fertile soil, the females chose the first two.

Insecta; Attini; leaf-cutting ants; haplometrosis; pleometrosis