Solenopsis saevissima

Fig. 15.8 Contrasting postures adopted by two myrmicine ants when releasing their recruitment pheromones via the sting, (a) Leptothorax acervorum in calling position (after Mdglich et al., 1974) (b) Solenopsis saevissima laying an odour trail (after Wilson, 1971).

Fig. 15.11 Lifetime of the odour trail of Solenopsis saevissima, laid on glass. From the time the worker returns to the nest ( = 0), the trail contracts as the pheromone evaporates (from Wilson, 1971).

Wilson, E. O. (1962) Chemical communication among workers of the fire ant Solenopsis saevissima (Fr. Smith) 1. The organisation of mass-foraging. Anim. Behav., 10, 134-47. 

The veom of fire ants (genus Solenopsis) contains 2,5-dialkylpiperidines. Typically these bear a methyl group at C-2 and a long alkyl or alkenyl chain at C-6. Some examples from S. saevissima are structures (114) and (115) where n=lO, 12 and 14 and (116) and (117) (where n=3 and 5 (J.G. MacConnell, M.S. Blum and H.M. Fales, Tetrahedron, 1971, 27, 1129). In addition some of the bases occur naturally as the A -nitroso derivatives. 

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