Foraging, recruitment and predation by Decamorium uelense (Sanstchi) (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) on termites in Southern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria.

The myrmicine ant Decamorium uelense is a predator of small termites which feed inside their food sources of roots and plant debris. The ant uses a specialized recruitment regime to secure its prey. A scout ant searches for foraging termites and returns to the nest where it recruits a column of 10-30 ants which attack and immobilize the termites. A mass recruitment phase is then instigated, with larger numbers of ants retrieving the prey. The major prey item is Microtermes (consumed at an annual rate of 632 termites m), with other small termites accounting for 0.5% of the total predation. The annual predation of Microtermes in primary savanna woodland by D. uelense removes 74% of the standing population.