Characterization of Nest Architecture of an Indian Ant Diacamma indicum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

ABSTRACT: Nests are physical entities that give shelter to the inhabitants from natural adversities, predators and act as a platform for organization of tasks particularly in social insects. Social insect nests can range from simple structures consisting of a single entrance leading to a chamber to complex nests containing hundreds of connected shafts and chambers. This study characterizes nest architecture of a tropical ponerine ant Diacamma indicum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), which has small colony sizes and is known to be a scavenger. We also examined if these nests vary seasonally. By examining the microhabitat in the vicinity of the nest, the nest entrance characteristics and casting 77 natural nests of D. indicum across a year, we found that this species occupies relatively simple nests consist

SUBMITTER: Bhattacharyya K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6874834 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature