Comportement trophallactique de l'ouvrière agee face a une immature chez la fourmi Camponotus vagus Scop

To complete the study of the development of the trophallactic behavior in young Camponotus vagus worker ants, the mature workers feeding callow ones were compared to those feeding mature workers. Mature workers frequently regurgitated food to callows and never to other mature workers. Contrary to the interactions between mature workers, the antennal repertoire is not specific of the donor role: the mature donor used the same mixed repertoire as the callow receiver, combining the repertoires of donors and receivers which, are displayed between mature workers. The organization of the antennal movement series was also found to differ and its variability is greater than in interactions between mature workers. The mature donor's trophallactic behavior thus depends on whether the partner is a callow or another mature worker.