| dc.identifier.citation | Ouagoussounon, I., Offenberg, J., Sinzogan, A., Adandonon, A., Kossou, D. & Vayssières, J.F. (2015). Founding weaver ant queens (Oecophylla longinoda) increase production and nanitic worker size when adopting non-nestmate pupae. SpringerPlus, 4(1), 6. |
| dc.description.abstract | Weaver ants (Oecophylla longinoda Latreille) are used commercially to control pest insects
and for protein production. In this respect fast colony growth is desirable for managed
colonies. Transplantation of non-nestmate pupae to incipient colonies has been shown to
boost colony growth. Our objectives were to find the maximum number of pupae a founding
queen can handle, and to measure the associated colony growth. Secondly, we tested if
transplantation of pupae led to production of larger nanitic workers (defined as unusually
small worker ants produced by founding queens in their first batch of offspring). Forty-five
fertilized queens were divided into three treatments: 0 (control), 100 or 300 non-nestmate
pupae transplanted to each colony. Pupae transplantation resulted in highly increased growth
rates, as pupae were readily adopted by the queens and showed high proportions of surviving
(mean = 76%). However, survival was significantly higher when 100 pupae were transplanted
compared to transplantation of 300 pupae, indicating that queens were unable to handle 300
pupae adequately and that pupae require some amount of nursing. Nevertheless, within the
60-day experiment the transplantation of 300 pupae increased total colony size more than 10-
fold whereas 100 pupae increased the size 5.6 fold, compared to control. This increase was
due not only to the individuals added in the form of pupae but also to an increased per capita
brood production by the resident queen, triggered by the adopted pupae. The size of hatching
pupae produced by the resident queen also increased with the number of pupae transplanted,
leading to larger nanitic workers in colonies adopting pupae. In conclusion, pupae
transplantation may be used to produce larger colonies with larger worker ants and may thus
reduce the time to produce weaver ant colonies for commercial purposes. This in turn may
facilitate the implementation of the use of weaver ants.Weaver ants (Oecophylla longinoda Latreille) are used commercially to control pest insects
and for protein production. In this respect fast colony growth is desirable for managed
colonies. Transplantation of non-nestmate pupae to incipient colonies has been shown to
boost colony growth. Our objectives were to find the maximum number of pupae a founding
queen can handle, and to measure the associated colony growth. Secondly, we tested if
transplantation of pupae led to production of larger nanitic workers (defined as unusually
small worker ants produced by founding queens in their first batch of offspring). Forty-five
fertilized queens were divided into three treatments: 0 (control), 100 or 300 non-nestmate
pupae transplanted to each colony. Pupae transplantation resulted in highly increased growth
rates, as pupae were readily adopted by the queens and showed high proportions of surviving
(mean = 76%). However, survival was significantly higher when 100 pupae were transplanted
compared to transplantation of 300 pupae, indicating that queens were unable to handle 300
pupae adequately and that pupae require some amount of nursing. Nevertheless, within the
60-day experiment the transplantation of 300 pupae increased total colony size more than 10-
fold whereas 100 pupae increased the size 5.6 fold, compared to control. This increase was
due not only to the individuals added in the form of pupae but also to an increased per capita
brood production by the resident queen, triggered by the adopted pupae. The size of hatching
pupae produced by the resident queen also increased with the number of pupae transplanted,
leading to larger nanitic workers in colonies adopting pupae. In conclusion, pupae
transplantation may be used to produce larger colonies with larger worker ants and may thus
reduce the time to produce weaver ant colonies for commercial purposes. This in turn may
facilitate the implementation of the use of weaver ants.Weaver ants (Oecophylla longinoda Latreille) are used commercially to control pest insects
and for protein production. In this respect fast colony growth is desirable for managed
colonies. Transplantation of non-nestmate pupae to incipient colonies has been shown to
boost colony growth. Our objectives were to find the maximum number of pupae a founding
queen can handle, and to measure the associated colony growth. Secondly, we tested if
transplantation of pupae led to production of larger nanitic workers (defined as unusually
small worker ants produced by founding queens in their first batch of offspring). Forty-five
fertilized queens were divided into three treatments: 0 (control), 100 or 300 non-nestmate
pupae transplanted to each colony. Pupae transplantation resulted in highly increased growth
rates, as pupae were readily adopted by the queens and showed high proportions of surviving
(mean = 76%). However, survival was significantly higher when 100 pupae were transplanted
compared to transplantation of 300 pupae, indicating that queens were unable to handle 300
pupae adequately and that pupae require some amount of nursing. Nevertheless, within the
60-day experiment the transplantation of 300 pupae increased total colony size more than 10-
fold whereas 100 pupae increased the size 5.6 fold, compared to control. This increase was
due not only to the individuals added in the form of pupae but also to an increased per capita
brood production by the resident queen, triggered by the adopted pupae. The size of hatching
pupae produced by the resident queen also increased with the number of pupae transplanted,
leading to larger nanitic workers in colonies adopting pupae. In conclusion, pupae
transplantation may be used to produce larger colonies with larger worker ants and may thus
reduce the time to produce weaver ant colonies for commercial purposes. This in turn may
facilitate the implementation of the use of weaver ants.Weaver ants (Oecophylla longinoda Latreille) are used commercially to control pest insects
and for protein production. In this respect fast colony growth is desirable for managed
colonies. Transplantation of non-nestmate pupae to incipient colonies has been shown to
boost colony growth. Our objectives were to find the maximum number of pupae a founding
queen can handle, and to measure the associated colony growth. Secondly, we tested if
transplantation of pupae led to production of larger nanitic workers (defined as unusually
small worker ants produced by founding queens in their first batch of offspring). Forty-five
fertilized queens were divided into three treatments: 0 (control), 100 or 300 non-nestmate
pupae transplanted to each colony. Pupae transplantation resulted in highly increased growth
rates, as pupae were readily adopted by the queens and showed high proportions of surviving
(mean = 76%). However, survival was significantly higher when 100 pupae were transplanted
compared to transplantation of 300 pupae, indicating that queens were unable to handle 300
pupae adequately and that pupae require some amount of nursing. Nevertheless, within the
60-day experiment the transplantation of 300 pupae increased total colony size more than 10-
fold whereas 100 pupae increased the size 5.6 fold, compared to control. This increase was
due not only to the individuals added in the form of pupae but also to an increased per capita
brood production by the resident queen, triggered by the adopted pupae. The size of hatching
pupae produced by the resident queen also increased with the number of pupae transplanted,
leading to larger nanitic workers in colonies adopting pupae. In conclusion, pupae
transplantation may be used to produce larger colonies with larger worker ants and may thus
reduce the time to produce weaver ant colonies for commercial purposes. This in turn may
facilitate the implementation of the use of weaver ants. |
