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Replacement of species in wood ant colonies artificially established on islands in southern Finland

Czechowski W., Vepsalainen K.

Polish Journal of Ecology

2010

Vol. 58, nr 4

793-799

Wood ants, i.e. species of the subgenus Formica s. str., are known to be temporary social parasites of ants of the subgenus Serviformica For. However, not only Serviformica colonies are used by young wood ant queens to start their own colonies. They are also able to take over colonies, at least queenless ones, of related species of the subgenus Formica s. str. This study followed five experimental colonies of wood ants - three of hybrid Formica aquilonia x F. polyctena, one of F. aquilonia-like form, and one of F. polyctena - artificially planted on islands of the Tvńrminne archipelago, S Finland. After some years, the species identity of all colonies was F. polyctena, i.e. four of them had been taken over by heterospecific queens, whose offspring gradually replaced the old workers. These findings, together with already documented existence of hybrids in wood ants, partly explain the interspecific and intracolonial, until recently unaccountable, variability in wood ants of the Formica rufa group, frequently observed in southern Finland.

The route of Formica polyctena Forst. as a factor promoting emancipation of Formica fusca L. slaves from colonies of Polyergus rufescens (Latr.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Czechowski Wojciech

Polish Journal of Ecology

2006

Vol. 54, nr 1

159-162

Formica fusca L. slaves from colonies of Polyergus rufescens (Latr.) tend to establish small homospecific satellite nests close to a main nest. P. rufescens maintains the integrity of a mixed colony by means of peculiar integration raids (Czechowski 2005). The present paper describes the history of a group of such satellite nests, temporarily separated from the main nest by a foraging route of Formica polyctena Forst. impassable to P. rufescens. The ex-slaves had managed to adopt F. fusca gynes and raised some homospecific worker pupae before the F. polyctena route disappeared and P. rufescens started to raid their nests. During the raids, the mutual attitude of the slave-makers and the ex-slaves quickly evolved from hostility to friendly relations.