Azteca ants repair damage to their Cecropia host plants

By

Wcislo, Alex
Graham, Xavier
Stephens, Stan
Toppe, Johannese
Wcislo, Lucas
Wcislo, William T.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

Journal of Hymenoptera research

Volume

88

Pages

61--70

Subjects

ant-plant interactions , Mutualism , nest construction , nest repair

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Washington, D.C International Society of Hymenopterists

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.88.75855

 

Abstract

Some Azteca ants are well-known symbionts that defend their Cecropia host plants against herbivory, although there is considerable variability in behavior among colonies, conditions, and species. In exchange, ants receive food, and also shelter within the plants’ internodes. Here we demonstrate that ants repair damage to the host plant when their brood is directly threatened. Using comminuted plant fibers and an unidentified binding liquid (probably plant sap) ants generally began patching holes in the tree trunk immediately, and significantly reduced the size of the hole 2.5 hours after it was created, and they generally completed the repairs within 24 hours.