Summary
Interference competition for nest sites was studied in ant communities dominated byLeptothorax congruus in the suburbs of Tokyo, central Japan. At the two study plots located in a deciduous wood and in grassland,L. congruus constructed nests in dead branches or stems of dead grasses. Approximately 50% of the nests were physically broken within a year, suggesting that they were very fragile. Of totals of 67 and 91 nests ofL. congruus marked at the two sites, 12 (17.5%) and 53 (58.2%) nests, respectively, were replaced by other ant species (Monomorium intrudens,Crematogaster brunnea teranishii,Camponotus itoi andLasius sp.) which were common in both habitats. Field observation suggested that, among these ants,M. intrudens was a major competitor usurping the nests ofL. congruus by aggressive invasion.
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Yamaguchi, T. Interspecific interference for nest sites betweenLeptothorax congruus andMonomorium intrudens . Ins. Soc 39, 117–127 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01249288
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01249288