<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Food availability is an important factor influencing the lives of ant colonies. Wood ants consume protein-rich and sugary foods. Protein-rich food is comprised primarily of insects, a considerable proportion of which the ants acquire by direct predation. They therefore play an important function in biological protection of forests. The objective of our study was to determine if workers activity is dependent on habitat type, size of the nest, bait size and food type (sugar, protein). We selected 23 nests in a spruce forest and placed food baits of various sizes and types near each nest. The results obtained show that the number of individuals on the baits was substantially higher in clearings than within mature forest. The number of worker ants recorded on the baits was slightly higher for larger nests. Bait size and type had no influence on the number of workers present. Because wood ants do not focus solely on food of a certain size or quality, they can effectively decrease the abundance of forest pests.</p>
</abstract>

Food availability is an important factor influencing the lives of ant colonies. Wood ants consume protein-rich and sugary foods. Protein-rich food is comprised primarily of insects, a considerable proportion of which the ants acquire by direct predation. They therefore play an important function in biological protection of forests. The objective of our study was to determine if workers activity is dependent on habitat type, size of the nest, bait size and food type (sugar, protein). We selected 23 nests in a spruce forest and placed food baits of various sizes and types near each nest. The results obtained show that the number of individuals on the baits was substantially higher in clearings than within mature forest. The number of worker ants recorded on the baits was slightly higher for larger nests. Bait size and type had no influence on the number of workers present. Because wood ants do not focus solely on food of a certain size or quality, they can effectively decrease the abundance of forest pests.

Foraging strategy and food preference of <italic>Formica polyctena</italic> ants in different habitats and possibilities for their use in forest protection

Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady 136, CZ – 252 02 Jíloviště,

Central European Forestry Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Foraging strategy and food preference of  ants in different habitats and possibilities for their use in forest protection

Food availability is an important factor influencing the lives of ant colonies. Wood ants consume protein-rich and sugary foods. Protein-rich food is comprised...

Foraging strategy and food preference of Formica polyctena ants in different habitats and possibilities for their use in forest protection

Published Online: Jan 27, 2017

Page range: 223 - 228

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/forj-2016-0026

Keywords
clear-cut, food bait, forest pest control, wood ants, mound, nest size

© 2016 Adam Véle et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Foraging strategy and food preference of Formica polyctena ants in different habitats and possibilities for their use in forest protection

Published Online: Jan 27, 2017

Page range: 223 - 228

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/forj-2016-0026

Keywordsclear-cut, food bait, forest pest control, wood ants, mound, nest size

© 2016 Adam Véle et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
clear-cut, food bait, forest pest control, wood ants, mound, nest size