Foraging rate can directly affect the impact that Atta laevigata (Smith) has on the environment. We attempted to assess the factors which most affect foraging rate of A. laevigata using data collected over a three month period in the Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó in Minas Gerais, Brazil. A bimodal foraging pattern was observed on clear sunny days, based on collected dry weights of vegetative material being carried towards nest entrances. Sampled entrances on clear sunny days yielded a daily average dry weight twice as high (0.9713 ± 0.1358 g) as on rainy days (0.4485 ± 0.1120 g). Larger nests (0.9713 ± 0.1358 g) yielded higher dry weights than smaller nests (0.2752 ± 0.0463 g). Field observations showed Ants switched to nest entrances with more suitable microhabitat conditions in both rainy and sunny days. A combination of temperature, humidity, nest size, and microhabitat specialization were the most important factors influencing A. laevigata foraging pattern.
Foraging constraints; herbivory; hotspot; microhabitat specialization; Serra do Cipó
