Trigona sp.

Marconi, Marilena, Modesti, Alessandro, Giove, Carlos Daniel Vecco, Mancini, Emiliano & Giulio, Andrea Di, 2022, Nest architectures of myrmecophilous stingless bees, Trigona sp. cfr. cilipes and Paratrigona sp., from Peruvian Amazon (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apinae, Meliponini), Fragmenta entomologica 54 (1), pp. 179-184 : 181

Trigona sp. cfr. cilipes – Dolichoderus quadridenticulatus association

Ant nest architecture

The nest was covered with a dark brown paper-like envelope. The material used was most likely organic matter obtained from the environment. It was oval in shape (major axis= 47.4 cm, minor axis= 25.5 cm, weight= 1075 g). Between the layers of the outer envelope, there were accumulations of sticky black resin deposited by bees ( Fig. 3 ). Dry leaves formed the outer covering of the nest, while two large vertical and six horizontal branches formed the internal skeleton, maintaining the integrity of the structure. The nest was in a state of semi-abandonment as no broods were found inside and few ants came out when the nest was opened.

Figures

Fig. 3 – Sticky resin deposits between the outer layers of the Dolichoderus quadridenticulatus nest.