Influence of food on recruitment pattern in the termite, Microcerotermes fuscotibialis
Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Ondo State Office, P.M.B. 656, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
Abstract
Recruitment pattern in the termite, Microcerotermes fuscotibialis Sjostedt (Isoptera: Termitidae) was found to be largely influenced by the presence or absence of food. This is reflected in the quantitative recruitment that occurred after food had been detected by the scouting foragers. Results showed that this information was communicated and responded to by other confederates in the nest within four to seven minutes after food addition or removal. The presence of an additional food source relative to an already existing one did not have any significant impact on the recruitment activities of this termite. Recruitment decision pattern in M. fuscotibialis involve to a large extent an “autocratic” decision strategy in the development and maintenance of recruitment process in this termite species.
Keywords: Isoptera, Termitidae, termite behavior
Correspondence:
drolugbemi@yahoo.com
Associate Editor: Robert Jeanne was editor of this paper.
Received: 28 July 2008 | Accepted: 4 September 2009 | Published: 14 September 2010
Copyright: This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.
ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 10, Number 154
Olugbemi BO. 2010. Influence of food on recruitment pattern in the termite, Microcerotermes fuscotibialis. Journal of Insect Science 10:154, available online: insectscience.org/10.154
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