Pollenivory in Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Seems to be Much More Common than It was Thought

Abstract. So far, besides some specialised Neotropical ant species of the genus Cephalotes Latr., the Palaearctic Myrmica schencki Viereck, M. rubra (L.) and Tetramorium cf. caespitum (L.) were known to be, at least facultative, pollen-eaters. The present paper reports on nine other common Palaearctic ant species occasionally feeding on pine pollen: Myrmica ruginodis Nyl., F. pratensis Retz., F. cinerea Mayr, F. clara For., F. sanguinea Latr., F. exsecta Nyl., Lasius niger (L.), L. platythorax Seifert, and L. fuliginosus (Latr.) and re-confirms pollenivory of M. schencki. Pollenivory of all these species was revealed based on the presence of pollen grains in the alimentary canal of the dissected workers. The possible role of pollen in the diet of ants as a generally omnivorous insect group is discussed.

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