
Social insects rely extensively on interactions to coordinate their activities. Some studies have recently explored several attributes of insect colonies from a network perspective, providing evidence of variation in connectivity patterns among group members. The temporal stability of interaction networks, however, has rarely been examined. In this study, ants of the species Odontomachus hastatus were individually equipped with passive microtransponders to collect their spatial positions in artificial nests automatically. Colonies were surveyed for 3 consecutive weeks to build weighted networks of proximity between ants. The analysis revealed important interindividual differences in connectivity patterns and showed that proximity networks were stable over time. The removal of the queen did not impact the patterns of association between workers, confirming that she did not contribute to shaping network structure. Ants forming long-lasting associations with a small number of nestmates exhibited a reduced tendency to move. In contrast, mobile workers were more likely to interact homogeneously with their nestmates and did not display any privileged associations.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 39 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
