Brood Rearing by Colony Founding Queens of the Harvester Ant Messor aciculatus

概要

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Dealated females of Messor aciculatus were reared, and the developmental processes of colonies and individual broods were studied in the laboratory. On an average queens began egg laying on day 11.6 from the mating flight and laid 18 eggs by day 79.6. The durations of the egg, 1st, 2nd, 3rd larval, and pupal stages are given. In the egg and pupal development, the law of total effective temperature held, the threshold temperature being 14.1 and 17.3℃ and the thermal constant 168.5 and 127.2 degree-days, respectively. The larval growth seemed to be affected by the food supply. The duration of the third instar became longer as the larvae reached this stage later. About a half of eggs laid developed into adults. Mortality was high at the third larval and egg stages. Cannibalism and sucking the body fluid left on exuviae especially by third instars were often seen. The flight season is perhaps related to the successful colony foundation, which depends on the seasonal food supply and the temperature conditions for brood rearing. The northern limit of distribution of M. aciculatus may be determined by the soil temperature.
日本昆虫学会の論文
1981-12-25