The Impact of Hairy Wood Ants, Formica lugubris, on the Guild Structure of Herbivorous Insects on Birch, Betula pubescens

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Abstract
(1) A grease-banding experiment and a background survey of ant and non-ant sites provided evidence that the presence of wood ants changed the guild structure of the hervivorous insect community on birch. (2) In the presence of ants the abundance of free-living chewing insects [Apocheima pilosana] was reduced more than that of leaf tie-ers [Metriostola betulae], which in turn was reduced more than that of fully internal feeders such as leaf-miners [Coleophora serratella]. (3) Total species richness of the herbivorous insect community on birch was reduced by ants. (4) Leaf-miners were commoner at ant sites. Ants presumably remove competitors or predators of miners, thereby reducing miner mortality. (5) The ant-tended aphid, Symydobius oblongus, (von Heyd.) had population densities over 3000% higher in the presence of ants. (6) Birch trees may not benefit from the reduction in species richess of attacking herbivores by ants because the populations of S. oblongus are increased so enormously.