The body surface of nearly all insects, including ants, is covered with a lipid layer that largely
consists of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC). They fulfil several functions, the two best-studied …

Trail pheromones do more than simply guide social insect workers from point A to point B.
Recent research has revealed additional ways in which they help to regulate colony …

Trophallaxis is a complex social fluid exchange emblematic of social insects and of ants in
particular. Trophallaxis behaviors are present in approximately half of all ant genera …

The selective forces that shape and maintain eusocial societies are an enduring puzzle in
evolutionary biology. Ordinarily sterile workers can usually reproduce given the right …

Nestmate recognition is the process by which individuals discriminate between nestmates
and con-and hetero-specifics. Nestmate recognition is based on recognition cues, which …

Parasites represent a severe threat to social insects, which form high‐density colonies of
related individuals, and selection should favour host traits that reduce infection risk. Here …

Social insects use cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) to convey different social signals,
including colony or nest identity. Despite extensive investigations, the exact source and …

Cataglyphis ants comprise one of the most characteristic groups of insects in arid regions
around the Mediterranean basin and have been intensively studied over the last 30 years …

Communication provides the basis for social life. In ant colonies, the prevalence of local,
often chemically mediated, interactions introduces strong links between communication …

Understanding the evolution of complex traits is among the major challenges in biology. One
such trait is the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) layer in insects. It protects against desiccation …