Density and Dispersion of Cavity Dwelling Ant Species in Nuts of Eastern US Forest Floors

Here we report on nut-nesting ant communities in the southeastern United States. We compared species diversity, ant abundance, and nut occupancy rates among sites in five states, and report the spatial dispersion of ant colonies in nuts in relation to colony-housing opportunities created by nuts and nest-site choice. Our results indicated that species diversity and nut occupancy rates do not differ among sites or states and that ant-occupied...