"The Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Poland is a monographic study of 98 ant species from 25 genera and four subfamilies whose occurrence in Poland has been reliably reported. The book comprises three sections. The first is a catalogue of the Polish ants which provides a systematic review of the species together with information about their geographical ranges, occurrence in Poland and biology. When necessary, a taxonomic history of the species is included. This section cites all faunistic literature data from the first publication in 1780 up to the year 2000. These are supplemented by data obtained by examining museum ant collections. Maps show the Palaearctic ranges of the species together with their distribution in geographical regions of Poland. The second section characterises the myrmecofauna of Poland, including its species, zoogeographical and ecological compositions. The thirds section consists of keys for identification of the Polish ant taxa (subfamilies, genera and species). This is the first complete set of keys to the ants of Poland."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The present catalogue summarizes the information on species composition and distribution of ants in Bulgaria, known until 2010 from literature and museum collections. The authors have worked intensively on Bulgarian myrmecofauna for the last 10 years. The Bulgarian myrmecofauna currently comprises 163 species from 40 genera and 6 subfamilies. The species list accounts synonyms and the respective publications they were used in, as well as all known localities in Bulgaria. Known localities are grouped by geographical regions and maps with concrete localities or regions for each species are provided. The conservation status of threatened ant species is discussed. The catalogue of Bulgarian ants may be of interest to myrmecologists, ecologists, biogeographers, conservationists and any zoological library.

'Brilliant, Fantastic and Significant' - Dr George McGavin Ants are seemingly everywhere, and this familiarity has led to some contemptuous and less than helpful stereotypes. In this compelling insight into the natural and cultural history of ants, Richard Jones helps to unravel some of the myths and misunderstanding surrounding their remarkable behaviours. Ant aggregations in large (often mind-bogglingly huge) nests are a complex mix of genetics, chemistry, geography and higher social interaction. Their forage trails – usually to aphid colonies but occasionally into the larder – are maintained by a wondrous alchemy of molecular scents and markers. Their social colony structure confused natural philosophers of old and still taxes the modern biologist today. Beginning the book with a straightforward look at ant morphology, Jones then explores the ant species found in the British Isles and parts of nearby mainland Europe, their foraging, nesting, navigating and battle instincts, how ants interact with the landscape, their evolution, and their place in our understanding of how life on earth works. Alongside this, he explores the complex relationship between humans and ants, and how ants went from being the subject of fables and moral storytelling to become popular research tools. Drawing on up-to-date science and featuring striking colour photographs throughout, this book presents a convincing case for why ants are worth our greater recognition and respect.

From the Arctic to South Africa - one finds them everywhere: Ants. Making up nearly 15% of the entire terrestrial animal biomass, ants are impressive not only in quantitative terms, they also fascinate by their highly organized and complex social system. Their caste system, the division of labor, the origin of altruistic behavior and the complex forms of chemical communication makes them the most interesting group of social organisms and the main subject for sociobiologists. Not least is their ecological importance: Ants are the premier soil turners, channelers of energy and dominatrices of the insect fauna. TOC:The importance of ants.- Classification and origins.- The colony life cycle.- Altruism and the origin of the worker caste.- Colony odor and kin recognition.- Queen numbers and domination.- Communication.- Caste and division of labor.- Social homeostasis and flexibility.- Foraging and territorial strategies.- The organization of species communities.- Symbioses among ant species.- Symbioses with other animals.- Interaction with plants.- The specialized predators.- The army ants.- The fungus growers.- The harvesters.- The weaver ants.- Collecting and culturing ants.- Glossary.- Bibliography.- Index.

The incredible global diversity of ants, and their important ecological roles, mean that we cannot ignore the significance of ants in ecological systems. Ant Ecology takes the reader on a journey of discovery from the beginnings of ants many hundreds of thousands of years ago, through to the makings of present day distributions.