Journal of Insect Behavior (2010) 23, 396-404

J.W. Ye, Y.Y. Lu, Y.J. Xu and L. Zeng (2010)
Sex-ratio bias in alates of polygyne colonies of the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in China
Journal of Insect Behavior 23 (5), 396-404
Abstract: A sex-ratio bias was studied in alates of natural polygyne colonies of Solenopsis invicta Buren in southern China. The results showed that at the population level, the numbers of male and female alates were nearly equal, even though there was a strong bias toward producing one particular sex at the nest level. For example, 88.89% of the nests sampled were strongly biased toward males or females. In particular, three bias types were observed: extreme female bias, extreme male bias, and a moderate bias. Future studies should address the factors that lead queens to produce strongly biased sex ratios.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Ling Zeng

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Solenopsis invicta		China (south)