2014/03/21 by Štěpánka Kadochová, Jan Frouz · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · Neuroscience · #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Physiological and biochemical adaptations #Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.12688/f1000research.2-280.v2
openalex publication_date 2014/03/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02
Temperature influences every aspect of ant biology, especially metabolic rate, growth and development. Maintenance of high inner nest temperature increases the rate of sexual brood development and thereby increases the colony fitness. Insect societies can achieve better thermoregulation than solitary insects due to the former's ability to build large and elaborated nests and display complex behaviour. In ants and termites the upper part of the nest, the mound, often works as a solar collector and can also have an efficient ventilation system. Two thermoregulatory strategies could be applied. Firstly the ants use an increased thermal gradient available in the mound for brood relocation. Nurse workers move the brood according to the thermal gradients to ensure the ideal conditions for development. A precise perception of temperature and evolution of temperature preferences are needed to make the correct choices. A second thermoregulatory strategy used by mound nesting ants is keeping a high temperature inside large nests. The unique thermal and insulation properties of the nest material help to maintain stable conditions, which is the case of the Wood ant genus Formica. Ants can regulate thermal loss by moving nest aggregation and alternating nest ventilation. Metabolic heat produced by ant workers or associated micro organisms is an important additional source of heat which helps to maintain thermal homeostasis in the nest.