Artificial trap‐nests: A useful tool to assess ants and myrmecophiles diversity

Abstract Ant colonies are a source of overlooked biodiversity. Given their cryptic nature and the difficulty of accessing host colonies, studying myrmecophiles associated with arboreal ants is challenging. We used small‐ and large‐diameter bamboo trap‐nests to assess ants and myrmecophiles diversity in the lower shrub and understory strata of a medium‐statured semi‐deciduous forest of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. After 12 weeks, 26.8% of the 128 artificial nests were occupied by 10 ant species (mainly Camponotus and Crematogaster ) and 10.2% by termites. Individual factors (plot, transect, tree, height, trap size) had no influence on the probability of ant colonisation; however, large traps located in the understory were more likely to be occupied. Species with large individuals (head width >1.45 mm) preferred large‐diameter trap‐nests, while small species (head width <1.0 mm) selected small‐diameter trap‐nests. Most ant‐occupied trap‐nests (75.8%) harboured associated organisms (Acari, Collembola, Araneae, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Blattodea and Diptera), with mites predominating (69.7% of colonies). One colony of Crematogaster curvispinosa hosted beetle larvae (probably Monotomidae) and the brood of one Camponotus cressoni colony was parasitized by eucharitid wasps ( Obeza sp.), while two first‐instar eucharitid larvae attacked a single Neoponera crenata larva. This is the first study deliberately focused on unveiling ant‐associated organisms using artificial trap‐nests. Ants readily colonised artificial nests with their associated fauna, revealing a species not observed with other sampling methods. Trap‐nests appear to be a simple, inexpensive and useful complementary method for assessing ant richness and the diversity of ant‐associated organisms in different forest strata.