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Poster Display
Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology
Mark Anthony Santana
Researcher
University of Texas
Pharr, Texas
Constance Lin
PhD Candidate
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Pierre Lesne
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Emily Russavage (she/her/hers)
Post-Doctoral Associate
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
Micky Eubanks
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
Insects are amongst the most important facilitators of vertebrate carrion decomposition. Ants have been observed recruiting vertebrate carrion and actively removing tissue and consuming exuded liquids. We thus hypothesize that while vertebrate carrion is the source of attractive volatile compounds used by the ants for recruitment, only the insect carrion feeders (like maggots) carry a significant nutritional value to the ant. The main objective of this study is to compare the nutritional value of vertebrate carrion (Mus musculus) and fly maggots (Macellaria rufifacies) that developed on vertebrate carrion. We aim to determine which SFA-to-UFA content is most nutritious to ants, with the prediction that larger amounts of UFA will be associated with better colony performance (measured survival of workers , the lipid content within the workers, and the brood mass). This study will increase our understanding of the importance of carrion feeders as part of the ant food network.