Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests
ABSTRACT Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta; fire ants) are predators of turtle (Testudine) eggs and hatchlings, but little information is available indicating how and when fire ants detect turtle nests during incubation. Therefore, during 2014, we compared fire ant presence at gopher tortoi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2016-03-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.628 |
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| author | Michelina C. Dziadzio Andrea K. Long Lora L. Smith Richard B. Chandler Steven B. Castleberry |
| author_facet | Michelina C. Dziadzio Andrea K. Long Lora L. Smith Richard B. Chandler Steven B. Castleberry |
| author_sort | Michelina C. Dziadzio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta; fire ants) are predators of turtle (Testudine) eggs and hatchlings, but little information is available indicating how and when fire ants detect turtle nests during incubation. Therefore, during 2014, we compared fire ant presence at gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) nests in burrow aprons in early and late incubation with paired burrow aprons that did not contain eggs. To determine whether fire ants were attracted to soil disturbance associated with nesting, we compared fire ant presence at physically disturbed burrow aprons without eggs (i.e., simulated empty nests) with paired burrow aprons with no disturbance or eggs at Ichauway, Georgia, USA. We found fire ants more frequently at nests than at paired aprons early in incubation, but not late in incubation. Additionally, we found no difference in fire ant presence between simulated empty nests and paired sites. Our results indicate that fire ants are attracted to gopher tortoise nests because of a factor other than the initial soil disturbance that accompanies nest deposition, possibly the mucous and moisture released by the female as eggs are laid. © 2016 The Wildlife Society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6bb2cddf0d834574a421dc78f3291663 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-6bb2cddf0d834574a421dc78f32916632025-08-20T02:49:20ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402016-03-0140120220610.1002/wsb.628Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nestsMichelina C. Dziadzio0Andrea K. Long1Lora L. Smith2Richard B. Chandler3Steven B. Castleberry4Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of Georgia180 E Green StreetAthensGA30602USADepartment of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Florida110 Newins‐Ziegler Hall, P.O. Box 110430GainesvilleFL32611USAJoseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center3988 Jones Center DriveNewtonGA39870USAWarnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of Georgia180 E Green StreetAthensGA30602USAWarnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of Georgia180 E Green StreetAthensGA30602USAABSTRACT Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta; fire ants) are predators of turtle (Testudine) eggs and hatchlings, but little information is available indicating how and when fire ants detect turtle nests during incubation. Therefore, during 2014, we compared fire ant presence at gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) nests in burrow aprons in early and late incubation with paired burrow aprons that did not contain eggs. To determine whether fire ants were attracted to soil disturbance associated with nesting, we compared fire ant presence at physically disturbed burrow aprons without eggs (i.e., simulated empty nests) with paired burrow aprons with no disturbance or eggs at Ichauway, Georgia, USA. We found fire ants more frequently at nests than at paired aprons early in incubation, but not late in incubation. Additionally, we found no difference in fire ant presence between simulated empty nests and paired sites. Our results indicate that fire ants are attracted to gopher tortoise nests because of a factor other than the initial soil disturbance that accompanies nest deposition, possibly the mucous and moisture released by the female as eggs are laid. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.628Georgiagopher tortoiseGopherus polyphemusnestsred imported fire antSolenopsis invicta |
| spellingShingle | Michelina C. Dziadzio Andrea K. Long Lora L. Smith Richard B. Chandler Steven B. Castleberry Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests Wildlife Society Bulletin Georgia gopher tortoise Gopherus polyphemus nests red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta |
| title | Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests |
| title_full | Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests |
| title_fullStr | Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests |
| title_short | Presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests |
| title_sort | presence of the red imported fire ant at gopher tortoise nests |
| topic | Georgia gopher tortoise Gopherus polyphemus nests red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.628 |
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