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Dryad

Data for ant queen lifespan in the field

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Jun 30, 2025 version files 133.44 KB

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Abstract

Demographic studies of ant populations usually monitor nest site occupancy if a colony is present it is assumed to be the same colony as previously.  Little is known about the extent to which nest site occupancy is equivalent to colony identity, yet this knowledge is important for interpreting demographic data.  We combined long-term colony monitoring with periodic genotyping in 95 colonies of the western harvester ant Pogonomyrmex occidentalis to assess the degree to which continuous occupancy predicts colony identity.  We identified a single unsuspected turnover event in more than 1300 queen-years of observation.  We also documented colony replacement in five nest sites that were continuously occupied, but which displayed abrupt size decreases and/or declines in external appearance.  Including additional data in monitoring studies may improve the accuracy of colony lifespan estimates.