YOUNG QUEENS OF THE HARVESTING ANT MESSOR-SEMIRUFUS AVOID FOUNDING IN PLACES VISITED BY CONSPECIFIC WORKERS

Founding queens of the seed-harvesting ant Messor semirufus (Andre) (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae) were offered a choice between two areas: one just visited and one not visited by workers of the same species. The queens preferred to dig their nest in the area not marked by workers. This may be an adaptation to avoid exploitation competition and active destruction of the new nest by workers of large, established colonies.