Social buffer or avoidance depends on the similarity of stress between queen ants.

Abstract

The association of unrelated ant queens (pleometrosis) is supposed to improve nest foundation and competitiveness under environmental stress, but its evolutionary maintenance is difficult to explain because only one of the queens survives after nest foundation. My aim was to test the potential effect of queen association as a social buffer, that is, as a mechanism reducing stress and improving fitness due to the benefits of social contact. I analyzed the survival, fecundity, and behavior of isolated and paired Lasius flavus queens exposed and not exposed to stressors (disturbing environmental conditions). I found no difference in survivorship between isolated and paired queens or between stressed and unstressed isolated queens. Groups in which 1 or 2 paired queens were stressed showed higher mortality. Unstressed queens died similarly to their stressed nestmates, suggesting stress transmission. A trend suggested that paired queens produced eggs more quickly, but eggs were produced similarly between isolated and paired queens. Social avoidance was observed in groups with 1 stressed and 1 unstressed queen. However, the groups with 2 stressed queens showed the expected behaviors according to social buffering: lower mobility and more interindividual inspection. My findings suggest the synergistic effect of pleometrosis and stress and the dependence of stress level similarity between nestmates on social buffering or rejection on ant queens.