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Purification of the Fire Ant Trail Substance

Nature volume 207, pages 320–321 (1965)Cite this article

Abstract

THE fire ant, Solenopsis saevissima (Fr. Smith), utilizes a trail substance as an aid in effective foraging1. Workers secrete a substance from the Dufour's gland which is deposited from the sting in the form of minute streaks. These mark a trail from a suitable food source to the nest. Workers are strongly attracted to this substance and follow the trail outward to the food source. The newly recruited workers in turn lay trails to the nest, reinforcing the original trail. The appropriate properties for effective trail substances have been discussed by Bossert and Wilson2.

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References

  1. Wilson, E. O., Science, 129, 643 (1959).

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  2. Bossert, W. H., and Wilson, E. O., J. Theor. Biol., 5, 443 (1963).

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  3. Williams, C. M., and Law, J. H., J. Insect Physiol., 11, 569 (1965).

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  4. Wilson, E. O., Animal Behavior, 10, 134 (1962).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. J.B. Conant Laboratory of Chemistry,

    CHRISTOPHER T. WALSH & JOHN H. LAW

  2. Biological Laboratory, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

    EDWARD O. WILSON

Authors
  1. CHRISTOPHER T. WALSH
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  2. JOHN H. LAW
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  3. EDWARD O. WILSON
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WALSH, C., LAW, J. & WILSON, E. Purification of the Fire Ant Trail Substance. Nature 207, 320–321 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/207320b0

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