Elsevier, Journal of Thermal Biology, 2(34), p. 81-84
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2008.10.005
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(1) We tested the thermal tolerance of red imported fire ants Solenopsis invicta in two small-scale habitats with different thermal microclimates. (2) Knock-down resistance indicated that colonies from an unshaded, warmer site had higher heat tolerance than colonies from a shaded, cooler site. This increased heat tolerance came at no apparent cost to cold tolerance, as ants from both habitats had similar chill-coma recovery times. (3) These results show a marked physiological response to localized anthropogenic habitat alterations. (4) Quantifying the adaptability of thermal tolerance could be important in understanding the ubiquity of fire ants in the southeastern United States. &