1. Ants, Ecology, and Blue Oak Ranch Reserve
BRIEF INTRO TO ANTS! SO MUCH MORE COOL STUFF OUT THERE
Kyle W. Gray
B.S. Animal biology UC Davis Spring 2016

2. AGENDA Who am I? What are ants? Why study ants?
Ecological roles of ants
BORR ants!
Ant hunting basics
Ant ecology
Questions?

3. WHO AM I???
4 things you got to know: I ride my skateboard, I climb rocks, I love my dog, and I am a huge ant nerd!

4. WHAT ARE ANTS???
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera (Ants, bees, wasps, sawflies) Family: FORMICIDAE
Basically wingless wasps (WORKERS) and more badass

5. WHY STUDY ANTS? Present in virtually every terrestrial habitat!
ANTS ARE EVERYWHERE!...except ANTarctica
Present in virtually every terrestrial habitat!
Abundant and diverse
17 subfamilies
482 genera
Approx. 15,000 described species
Involved in many elaborate symbioses and associations
Advanced social behavior via sophisticated communication systems and division of labor
About species described, 15000more awaiting description
Symbioses: ant-plant, many symbioses with other insects, bird associations, fungi
Applications have included: robotics, computer science, stock market, self-guiding missiles…more???

6. ECOLOGICAL ROLES Soil engineers Seed dispersers Decomposers Predators
Prey
Herbivores
Landscapers
Gardeners
Mutualists
How do ants INTERACT with their environment??? MANY WAYS, here are a few
Seed dispersers, scavengers, predators, herbivores, soil turners (Look at The Ants, Ant Ecology), shape landscape

7. BLUE OAK RANCH RESERVE ANTS
5 subfamilies
13 genera
20 species
All native to California!
No invasive species
Generalists, scavengers, seed dispersers, predators, omnivores, mutualists

8. Liometopum occidentale
“Velvety tree ants” or “Blue cheese ants”
Produce noxious alarm odor as nest defense strategy
Dominant ants in oak savanna
Nests under rocks, under oaks, under bark
More nests need to be excavated!
Very large and aggressive colonies
40,000-60,000 workers
Polygyous?
Polymorphic
Omnivores

9. Formica moki “Wood ants” or “field ants”
Nests under stones, fallen logs, open soil
No stinger present but instead spray formic acid at intruders
Omnivores
nectar
Insects
tend hemipterans
Parasitic and slave-making behaviors common in group

10. Camponotus semitestaceus
“Carpenter ants”
Nest in soil under stones, under bark in fallen logs
Colonies are very large with many “majors”
Polymorphic
Colonies active at night or cooler times of day
Omnivores
Scavengers
Tend aphids

11. Prenolepis imparis “Winter ant” Nest deep in soil
Shallowest chambers 2m deep
Forging occurs during coolers temperatures rather than
warmer temperatures
Unique among ants
Takes place when most ants are inactive
Above-ground foraging November-April
Most workers enter “replete” stage
Adaptation during estivation
Liquid diet: “honey-dew”, nectar, juices from insects and worms
What they lack in appearance they excel in interesting life strategies

12. Crematogaster coarctata
“Acrobat ant”
Nests under stones
Unique waist attachment to abdomen allows for defensive pose
Smear noxious chemicals on other insects

13. Pheidole californica “Big-headed ants” Nest in soil
Strongly polymorphic!
Soldier caste
Part of most specious genus
1000+ species
Primarily seed harvesters but considered secondary omnivores

14. Solenopsis molesta “Thief ant” or “Fire ant”
Nest in soil, under stones
Kleptoparasitism
Nests adjacent to other ant colonies to steal brood from host
Very small size allows ants to sneak into host via secret tunnels

15. Neivamyrmex californicus
“Temperate army ant”
Feed exclusively on other ants
Many different ant prey items
Spectacular raids
Polymorphic
Forms “bivouac” nests
Temporary nests constructed from ants themselves
Usually under logs or in sand banks

16. Veromessor andrei “Harvester ants” Nests in open soil
Collect seeds and store in nest chambers
Notable seed dispersers
Opportunistic scavenger
The ant that opened up my world!
Ant that opened my world due to striking morphology

17. Hypoponera opacior Nest deep in soil, under stones
“Subterranean ant”
Nest deep in soil, under stones
Most abundant hypogaeic ant
Purely subterranean lifestyle
Predator of micro-invertebrates in soil
Solitary hunters
Hypogaeic microhabitat has much different ant assemblage than other microhabitats

18. ANT HUNTING 101 Hand collection Leaf-litter sifting Baiting
Where can I find ants???
plants
sand banks
open soil
leaf litter
under stones
twigs
Hand collection
Aspirator or “pooter”
Spit trap
Leaf-litter sifting
Winkler trap
Baiting
Mesh
Plastic bag
Sampling cup
Hand collection: forceps, spit trap, aspirator aka “pooter”

19. Ant Ecology Community dynamics
Role and influence of dominant ant species
Ant-plant mutualisms and how they affect flora diversity
How do resources affect ant assemblage?
Ants as biological-control agents
Ants as indicators of ecosystem change
Population ecology
Nestmate recognition
Consequences of ant invasion

20. -Bert Hölldobler and Edward O. Wilson
Ant Ecology
WHY IS ALL THIS IMPORTANT???
Ants are everywhere and able to participate
They are superorganisms!
“Ants are important to study and understand because they are different; their status as superorganisms places them at a level of organization between individual and ecosystem”
-Bert Hölldobler and Edward O. Wilson

21. THANK YOU!
May the ants be with you

22. Questions?
Phone:
Visit Arizona State University
Christian Rabeling Lab