Toxic bait abandonment by an invasive ant is driven by aversive memories DOI Creative Commons

Daniel Zanola,

Tomer J. Czaczkes, Roxana Josens

et al.

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: March 24, 2025

Social insects such as ants possess a battery of behavioural mechanisms protecting their colonies against pathogens and toxins. Recently, active abandonment poisoned food was described in the invasive ant Linepithema humile. During this abandonment, foraging declines by 80% within 6–8 h after baits become toxic—a reduction not due to satiety, diminished motivation, or mortality. Here we explore behind behaviour, testing two hypotheses: (1) presence 'no entry' pheromones near toxic food, (2) formation aversive memories linked site. In field trials, placed bridges leading sucrose, nothing, sucrose on an trail. Within hours, abandoned bait bridges. By swapping strategically, confirmed that formed at sites, while no evidence pheromone found. Then, laboratory, asked how may be sensing toxicity bait, hypothesising poison-induced malaise. Motility, used proxy for malaise, 29% lower toxicant-exposed 3 h, linking malaise abandonment. Developing toxicants with delayed just mortality, improve control protocols. Ant foragers actively abandon baits, hampering efforts. This process is driven least part learning memory, passive do seem play role.

Language: Английский

Toxic bait abandonment by an invasive ant is driven by aversive memories DOI Creative Commons

Daniel Zanola,

Tomer J. Czaczkes, Roxana Josens

et al.

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: March 24, 2025

Social insects such as ants possess a battery of behavioural mechanisms protecting their colonies against pathogens and toxins. Recently, active abandonment poisoned food was described in the invasive ant Linepithema humile. During this abandonment, foraging declines by 80% within 6–8 h after baits become toxic—a reduction not due to satiety, diminished motivation, or mortality. Here we explore behind behaviour, testing two hypotheses: (1) presence 'no entry' pheromones near toxic food, (2) formation aversive memories linked site. In field trials, placed bridges leading sucrose, nothing, sucrose on an trail. Within hours, abandoned bait bridges. By swapping strategically, confirmed that formed at sites, while no evidence pheromone found. Then, laboratory, asked how may be sensing toxicity bait, hypothesising poison-induced malaise. Motility, used proxy for malaise, 29% lower toxicant-exposed 3 h, linking malaise abandonment. Developing toxicants with delayed just mortality, improve control protocols. Ant foragers actively abandon baits, hampering efforts. This process is driven least part learning memory, passive do seem play role.

Language: Английский

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