8 
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[Vol. 95 
Table 2. A comparison of the number of marked workers from five nests that 
were recaptured on the nest on which they were marked with the number found on 
other nests. 
Nest that ant 
was marked on 
(total released) 
Number recaptured 
on nest on which 
ant was marked 
Number recaptured 
on other nests 
Total 
recaptured 
Number 4 (200) 
8 
22 
30 
Number 7 (250) 
29 
18 
47 
Number 1 1 (200) 
10 
13 
23 
Number 15 (300) 
75 
66 
141 
Number 21 (350) 
39 
33 
72 
Total (1300) 
161 
152 
313 
squeezed slightly) and seven carried dead arthropods. Of these, 20 
(34%) had been originally marked on other nests of group A (i.e. 
nests 4, 9, 10, and 11). During the same censuses, none of the 72 
marked ants (including 31 from other nests) moving away from nest 
#6 were obviously replete with honeydew or were carrying arthropod 
carrion or prey. Thus, traffic of successful foragers occurred in only 
one direction along this trail (i.e. towards nest #6) and included 
foragers originally seen on other nests. However, workers transport- 
ing live ant larvae were seen travelling along trails in both directions 
near nest #6 and elsewhere in the manner described for F. polyctena 
(Mabelis, 1979a). 
The data above support the conclusion that nests of group A form 
a group of physically inter-connected (i.e. by trails) and, possibly, 
functionally integrated nests. Workers were rarely found on nests of 
other groups and did not tolerate the presence of workers from 
distant nests. However, an absolute barrier did not exist between 
nests not connected by trails. As noted above, one worker from nest 
#4 was active on the surface of nest #7 and two from nest #29 were 
on #28, apparently being tolerated by other workers. Furthermore, 
some of the 250 workers marked on nest #7 (group C) were recap- 
tured either on nests of group A (11 observations during the nine 
censuses) or on the trail system of group A (3 observations during 
the censuses of trail near nest #6). Most (36) of the recaptured 
workers from nest #7, were found on nests of group C. 
Discussion 
The data reported here indicate that movement of workers among 
nest mounds in the local population F. obscuripes was non-random. 
