Population Stabilization and Competition Between the Ants Lasius flavus (F.) and L. niger (L.)

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Abstract
Annual production of alate queens by colonies of Lasius is used as a measure of colony size and this is found to be limited by size of foraging territories. A population of L. flavus colonies was analysed by use of the equation: [image], where N1 and N2 are numbers of alate queens produced by a pair of neighboring colonies distance D apart. A and b are constants. Removal of a L. niger colony resulted in increased queen production by those L. flavus previously within its territory (probability = 0.01) and also by neighboring L. niger colonies (0.05> probability> 0.01). Introduction of Lflavus was followed by decreased queen production by L. niger (probability = 0.05). Consideration of conditions leading to stable competition results in rejection of Gause''s hypothesis.