Abstract

NICKELE, Mariane Aparecida; PIE, Marcio Roberto  and  REIS FILHO, Wilson. Emigration of a colony of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex heyeri Forel (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Rev. Bras. entomol. [online]. 2012, vol.56, n.3, pp. 385-386.  Epub Sep 18, 2012. ISSN 0085-5626.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0085-56262012005000045.

Emigration of a colony of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex heyeri Forel (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Colony migration is a poorly studied phenomenon in leaf-cutting ants. Here we report on the emigration of a colony of the leaf-cutting ant A. heyeri in Brazil. The colony emigrated to a new location 47.4 m away from the original nest site, possibly because it had undergone considerable stress due to competitive interactions with a colony of Acromyrmex crassispinus.

Keywords : Attini; interspecific aggression; leaf-cutting ant; nest relocation.