Relations entre trophallaxie, lésions des antennes et facteurs saisonniers chez la Fourmi Camponotus vagus Scop

The role of antennal contacts made by the donor worker on the receiver's head during trophallactic interactions among Ants (Camponotus vagus) was investigated by studying the food flow characteristics: amount of foodstuff transmitted, duration and speed of transmission. For this purpose, we either removed both the donors' antennal funicles or tied their scape/funicule articulations in the flexed position. The parameters of food transmission between control workers were found to depend on seasonal factors: the consequences of both antennal removal and immobilization were therefore analysed for each season separately. The workers with antennal lesions gave more food than control workers in spring and summer. On the contrary, in autumn the lesions did not bring about any significant change. The antennal contacts made by the donor on the receiver's head might be involved in the regulation of trophallactic food transmission, at least in spring and summer.