Download PDF

An Experimental Analysis on the Magnetic Field Sensitivity of the Black-Meadow Ant Formica Pratensis Retzius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Acta Biologica Hungarica volume 56, pages 215–224 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Ant responses were tested under both the natural geomagnetic and artificially induced Earth-strength electromagnetic field. Foragers were trained for a month to visit a food source at the north arm accessed through an orientation platform assembly. Under the natural geomagnetic field, when all other orientational cues were eliminated, results indicated significant heterogeneity of ant distribution with the majority seeking geomagnetic north in darkness. However, in light, foragers failed to discriminate geomagnetic north. Under shifted artificial electromagnetic field, orientation was predominantly on the artificial magnetic N/S axis with a significant preference for the artificial north in both light and dark conditions.

References

  1. 1.

    Acosta-Avalos, D., Wajnberg, E., Oliviera, P. S., Leal, I., Farina, M., Esquivel D. M. S. (1999) Isolation of magnetic nanoparticles from Pachycondyla marginata ants. J. Exp. Biol. 202, 2687–2692.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. 2.

    Acosta-Avalos, D., Esquivel, D. M. S., Wajnberg, E., Lins de Barros, H. G. P., Oliviera, P. S., Leal, I. (2001) Seasonal patterns in the orientation system of the migratory ant Pachycondyla marginata. Naturwissenschaften 88, 343–346.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. 3.

    Anderson, J. B., Vander Meer, R. K. (1993) Magnetic orientation in the fire ant. Naturwissenschaften 80, 568–570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. 4.

    Aneshansley, D. J., Larkin, T. S. (1981) V-test is not a statistical test of “homeward” direction. Nature 293, 239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. 5.

    Banks, A. N., Srygley, R. B. (2003) Orientation by magnetic field in leaf–cutter ants, Atta colombica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ethology 109, 835–846.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. 6.

    Batschelet, E. (1981) Circular Statistics in Biology. Academic Press, London.

    Google Scholar 

  7. 7.

    Camlitepe, Y., Stradling, D. J. (1995) Wood ant orient to magnetic fields. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 261, 37–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. 8.

    Camlitepe, Y., Stradling, D. J. (1998) Do red wood ant Formica rufa use group specific pheromones for route fidelity? A preliminary survey. Biologia, Bratislava. 53, 657–662.

    Google Scholar 

  9. 9.

    Camlitepe, Y. (1999) Trail following responses of the red wood ant Formica rufa L. in darkness. Israel Journal of Zoology 45, 231–238.

    Google Scholar 

  10. 10.

    El-Jaick, L. J., Acosta-Avalos, D., Esquivel, D. M. S., Wajnberg, E., Linhares, M. P. (2000) Electron paramagnetic resonance study of honeybee Apis mellifera abdomens. Eur. Biophys. J. 29, 579–586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. 11.

    Goddard, S. M., Forward, R. B. (1991) The role of underwater polarized light pattern, in sun-compass navigation of the grass shrimp Palaemonetes vulgaris. J. Comp. Physiol. A. 169, 479–491.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. 12.

    Gould, J. L., Kirschvink, J. L., Deffeyes, K. S. (1978) Bees have magnetic remanence. Science 201, 1026.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  13. 13.

    Gould, J. L., Kirschvink, J. L., Deffeyes, K. S., Brines, M. L. (1980) Orientation of demagnetized bees. J. Exp. Biol. 86, 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  14. 14.

    Hsu, C. Y., Li, C. W. (1994) Magnetoreception in honeybees. Science. 265, 95–97.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  15. 15.

    Irwin, W. P., Lohmann, K. J. (2003) Magnet-induced disorientation in hatchling loggerhead sea turtles. J. Exp. Biol. 206, 497–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. 16.

    Jander, R., Jander, U. (1998) The light and magnetic compass of the weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ethology 104, 743–758.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. 17.

    Klotz, J. H., van Zandt, L. L., Reid, B. L., Bennett, G. W. (1997) Evidence lacking for magnetic compass orientation in fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 70, 64–65.

    Google Scholar 

  18. 18.

    Maher, B. A. (1998) Magnetite biomineralization in termites. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 265, 733–737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. 19.

    Phillips, J. B., Borland, S. C. (1992) Behavioural evidence for use of a light-dependent magnetoreception mechanism by a vertebrate. Nature 359, 142–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. 20.

    Rosengren, R., Fortelius, W. (1986) Ortstreue in foraging ants of the Formica rufa group–a hierarchy of orienting cues and long-term memory. Insectes Soc. 33, 306–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. 21.

    Slowik, T. J., Thorvilson, H. G. (1996) Localisation of subcuticular iron-containing tissue in the red imported fire ant. Southwestern Entomologist 21, 247–254.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. 22.

    Slowik, T. J., Green, B. L., Thorvilson, H. G. (1997) Detection of magnetism in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) using magnetic resonance imaging. Bioelectromagnetics 18, 396–399.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  23. 23.

    Vácha, M., Soukopová, H. (2004) Magnetic orientation in the mealworm beetle Tenebrio and the effect of light. J. Exp. Biol. 207, 1241–1248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. 24.

    Wajnberg, E., Acosta-Avalos, D., El-Jaick, Abraçado, L., Coelho, J. L. A., Bakuzis, A. F., Morais, P. C., Esquivel, D. M. S. (2000) Electron paramagnetic study of the migratory ant Pachycondyla marginata abdomens. Biophys. J. 78, 1018–1023.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  25. 25.

    Wiltschko, W., Wiltschko, R. (1976) Interrelation of magnetic compass and star orientation in nightmigrating birds. J. Comp. Physiol. 109, 91–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. 26.

    Wiltschko, R., Wiltschko, W. (1995) Magnetic Orientation in Animals. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  27. 27.

    Wiltschko, R., Wiltschko, W. (2001) The geomagnetic field and its role in directional orientation. In: Barth, F. G., Schmid, A. (ed.) Ecology of Sensing. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 289–312.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  28. 28.

    Zar, J. H. (1984) Biostatistical Analysis. Prentice Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Trakya, Edirne, 22030, Turkey

    Y. Camlitepe, V. Aksoy, N. Uren & A. Yilmaz

  2. Department of Electricity, Edirne College of Technical & Administrative Studies, University of Trakya, Edirne, 22030, Turkey

    I. Becenen

Authors
  1. Y. Camlitepe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. Aksoy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. N. Uren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Yilmaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. Becenen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Camlitepe.

Rights and permissions

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Camlitepe, Y., Aksoy, V., Uren, N. et al. An Experimental Analysis on the Magnetic Field Sensitivity of the Black-Meadow Ant Formica Pratensis Retzius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). BIOLOGIA FUTURA 56, 215–224 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1556/ABiol.56.2005.3-4.5

Download citation

Keywords

  • Magnetic sense
  • magnetoreception
  • orientation
  • ants
  • Formica pratensis