Ant Ecology Exam 1 - Who's in Charge?

What is a Superorganism?

The Idea That an Ant Colony is Like a Single Organism

What is the Queen Caste?

The Reproductive Unit of the Colony; Once Mated She Remains Fertile for Years and Can Live 1-30 Years

What is the Worker (Minors) Caste?

The Most Common Ant of the Colony; Sterile Females & Smallest Ant, Does All the Tasks and Live for a Few Months to 5 Years

What is the Soldier (Major) Caste?

Sterile Females, Larger and Stronger Than Minors; Protection From Large Predators and Cut and Carry Heavy Objects

What is the Gyne Caste?

An Unfertilized Queen; Will Take a Nuptial Flight on a Warm, Humid Night

What is the Drone (Alate) Caste?

Winged Male Ants; Don’t Have Any Nest Tasks, Main Goal is to Mate with Gynes

What is Male Aggregation?

When Males Form Swarms That Attract Winged Females

What is Female Calling?

When Females are Wingless, Gynes Disperse From Nest and Release Pheromones to Attract Winged Males

What Determines if a Female Becomes a Queen or Worker?

Dominance Hierarchies, Genetics, and Non-Genetic Reasonings

Dominance Hierarchies in Queen Determination?

Competition for Reproductive Rights; Top Ranked Workers Mate and Lay Eggs (Gamergate)

Genetics in Queen Determination?

When Present, Subject to Significant Plasticity in Response to Environmental Conditions

Non-Genetics in Queen Determination?

Differences in the Environment Launch a Larvae on a Developmental Path to Queen or Worker

What are the Six Major Stimuli for Larvae?

Larval Nutrition, Temperature, Winter Chilling, Caste Self-Inhibition, Egg Size, and Age of Queen

What is Worker Policing?

In Large, Polydomous Colonies, the Queen Pheromone May Not Reach All Workers, Which Can Result if Workers Laying Eggs. So Workers Will Attack Them to Prevent Egg-Laying