Temperature Limits to Trailing Activity in the Australian Arid-Zone Meat Ant Iridomyrmex Pupureus Form Viridiaeneus.

Abstract

Trailing activity is restricted to the hours of daylight and is further limited by the temperature of the air surrounding the ant (T*a) and by the net radiant heat load. Activity in winter begins well after sunrise and continues until late afternoon averaging c. 7.4 h per day. Midsummer activity occupies two distinct periods, one commencing at dawn and the other in late afternoon; the two together total about 6.8 h per day. The upper and lower values of T*a, between which ants are active are 43.5°C and 14°C. Radiant heat input is dissipated from the ants by convective heat loss.