Gema works at the Department of Social and Myrmecophilous Insects in Warsaw, Poland, Her current research article concerning task syndrome in ant workers and the connection between behavioral traits and task allocation can be found here.

IS: Who are you, and what do you do?

Gema: I am an assistant professor at the Department of social and myrmecophilous insects from the Museum and Institute of Zoology (Polish Academy of Sciences). I work with ants, and my main research topic is focused on the impact of anthropogenic changes in the habitat on the ant communities and functional traits. Since my PhD studies (at the University of Cordoba, Spain), I have been very interested in the impact of urbanization on ants; so I made it my main research topic. Besides, I am involved in forests research (mainly red wood ants) and other topics including behaviour, vibroacoustics and, more recently, the interaction between the entomopathogenic fungus Rickia wasmannii and Myrmica sp. Also, I am passionate about ant taxonomy and, although it is not my research topic, it has been a very important tool in all my studies, and it has also helped me to collaborate in diverse projects.

Gema and her dog Rila

IS: How did you develop an interest in your research?

Gema: It was during my PhD when I started to learn about urbanization and its impact on ants. I realised that, although it is not a very novel topic, there is still a lot to learn about; so, I kept learning, questioning and searching for answers. Although there were many things to investigate, there is something clear in this topic: Urbanization is an unstoppable phenomenon that is causing drastic changes at all levels. But I also found that similar trends and stress factors can be found in all other anthropized habitats, and that’s the key! We live in a stressed world, causing climate change, habitat loss, biodiversity loss, pollution… and I would really like to contribute to improve the situation. Thus, I believe that a better understanding of the impact of urbanization can strongly help to find (or at least get closer) to a solution for this environmental crisis. I have so many questions that I would really like to answer…

IS: What is your favorite social insect, and why?

Gema: Ants, no doubt. I think that they are amazing in all aspects. Doesn’t matter if you check their taxonomical diversity, their social organization, their impressive capacity for learning or their behavioural and physiological adaptations… We are always fascinated to see how big mammals (e.g. primates) and humans share some traits (like the tool use), but these traits are generally unnoticed when it comes to small animals like ants. It is simply impressive how much you can learn from such a small organism. Besides, ants are addictive! The more you learn about them, the more you want to keep learning.

IS: What is the best moment/discovery in your research so far? What made it so memorable?

Gema: It’s not an easy question but I really like this one: A few years ago, it was cold and dark when I was arriving home in Warsaw. In my neighbourhood, the heating system of the buildings are coming from a common boiler and the heat is distributed through pipes. Behind my parking spot, there is a sewer drain cover that keeps warm because of the heating system. So, although it was cold, some ants from a Lasius niger nest near the sewer were active whereas the other nests far from the warm spot were inactive. So, I started to think about the urban warming, and I started to apply for grants to study the urban heat island effect. This initial observation has already resulted in two successful grant applications, enabling me to conduct a comprehensive, large-scale study that involves international collaborations.

IS: Do you teach or do outreach/science communication? How do you incorporate your research into these areas?

Gema: Unfortunately, I rarely do it. I work in a research institute, so lectures are limited to the doctoral school or if you are invited in a university, an event… Although it is very rare that we are invited, sometimes it happens. Then, I usually like to give some general information about ants. After introducing ants, I like to show something about the research that we are carrying out in our laboratory, the purpose of these studies, how they contribute to advances in science and how we can use this information, for example, for species protection and habitat conservation. I have the impression that many people perceive science as something distant or disconnected from their daily lives. It is crucial for them to understand that our research has practical applications and direct effects on society. For instance, conservation ecology seeks to create a thriving environment that significantly enhances both the overall health of the ecosystem and the quality of life for humans.

IS: What do you think are some of the important current questions in social insect research, and what’s essential for future research?

Gema: It is actually a difficult question…I have realised that the most important questions in research vary among countries, scientific societies or even research groups. However, I personally think that there is not a specific important question because, from my point of view, everything is interconnected and each research is a piece of the big puzzle of nature. But if I must choose one, then I will come back to my topic: the impact of anthropization. We still don’t know how it really works in terms of species adaptations, long term impact, the indirect impact of interspecific interactions, etc… I think that it is essential for future research because without understanding what is happening, we can’t find a solution. And, well, we need a solution. Either if you like the topic or not, we all need a solution for the current environmental crisis if we want to enjoy a good quality and healthy life (for us or for future generations).

IS: What research questions generate the biggest debate in social insect research at the moment?

Gema: I have no idea. I think that there is a big debate in each research, so I will talk about my main topic. I think that the biggest debate relies on how species will get to survive: adaptation or phenotypic plasticity? However, I would also like to assess the indirect impact through the network of interactions among species, among many other things… Uff, I have so many questions that I would really like to answer… 

IS: What is the last book you read? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

Gema: I like to read books of different topics, I have not a favourite style. Right now, I am reading a book from 1973, “Protection of Man’s natural environment” (initiated by Prof. Władysław Szafer and prepared for publication by Włodzimierz Michajłow), but I just started. So, I will talk about a book that I enjoyed a lot “Sabias: La cara occulta de la ciencia”, a book written by Adela Muñoz Páez. My husband bought this book for me after listening to a talk that she gave at his working place. She is a scientist, so she has firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by both the scientific community and women within it. As you read the book, you journey through the centuries, learning about the roles of women in different civilizations and in the field of science, beginning with Enheduanna (2300-2225 BCE). The book is incredibly engaging and full of intriguing information. It is written in a catching and comfortable way. So, I definitely recommend it. The only issue, I think that it is only available in Spanish.

IS: Outside of science, what are your favorite activities, hobbies, or sports?

Gema: My favourite and more personal healing activity is to have a walk in the field with my dog (if my husband joins us, even better). I love dogs, both to teach them and learn from them is a wonderful experience. Travelling, that’s something that I also love and my long term plan with my husband would be to visit as many different countries as possible (the whole world would be perfect, although it isprobably a not too realistic plan). Although I can’t do it as much as I would like to, I enjoy practising some water sports (like swimming or windsurfing) and in recent years have practised some martial arts. I am quite a beginner in these sports, but I really enjoy them and they help me to disconnect from work.

IS: How do you keep going when things get tough?

Gema: Very good question… I really don’t have an answer for that. Sometimes it becomes really hard. Research is a very beautiful work, but also hard and the system needs some changes. Unfortunately, this is not just my reality, but the reality of many researchers. So basically, I think that you just keep going, trying your best and keeping the hope that maybe in the future the situation will improve. And, of course, it really helps that there is always some researcher willing to help you and support your research. But, undoubtedly, the support of your family and your friends is essential to overcome hard times in science.

IS: If you were to go live on an uninhabited island and could only bring three things, what would you bring? Why?

Gema: Very simple answer, but I would like to bring my family pack including my husband and my dog. So, 1- my husband and my dog; I think that we finally deserve to enjoy a long time together and being with them makes me happy. 2 – a tool kit (with knives, pliers, hammer…); obviously, I will need to build something where to live and get food; 3 – a fully equipped stereo microscope; probably there will be not too many ants ion n an island, but it might happen that some species might have arrived somehow… I don’t want to miss anything.

IS: Who do you think has had the most considerable influence on your science career?

Gema: Well, many people played a part, but if I must choose then I will choose two persons: Prof. Joaquín L. Reyes López and Prof. Wojciech Czechowski. I have my PhD thanks to Prof. Reyes López. He is the one who infected me with the passion for ants, and the one who supported me when nobody thought that I could get a PhD. My career has been a bit different because I didn’t jump into the PhD after I finished Biology, instead I tried different jobs before I decided that what I really wanted to do was science. But not too many people are willing to support a person without a grant and whose only option is to do a PhD while working full time in a company. But Joaquin was there, he decided to be my supervisor and teach me at lunch time, weekends… still now I keep learning from him. After that, Prof. Czechowski helped me. I arrived to Poland for personal reasons and I decided to contact with his department. I was so lucky… because he is also a person who is always willing to help and so he gave me an opportunity… and here I am, still working in this department, learning from him and working together.

IS: What advice would you give to someone hoping to be a social insect researcher in the future?

Gema: Hard to say… It is really difficult to be a researcher nowadays. But if I have to give some advice, then I would definitely advice to choose a good and productive laboratory with funds for research. It will lead you to have a good number of high-quality publications, which will open many doors. Unfortunately, working hard is not enough… Doing the complete research and publishing in a good journal is costly, and not every lab can afford it. Also, a good lab will facilitate you a valuable research network. But it is also important to consider whether you fit in that lab. After all, you will have to spend almost 70% of your life with these people during the few next years. If you don´t fit, it will be really hard to keep going.

IS: Has learning from a mistake ever led you to success?

Gema: well, I think that this is a very common situation. I don´t know how many times I made a mistake, but for sure I did it many times. The thing is that you always learn something from these mistakes, sometimes for good (you get something worthy and new) and sometimes for bad (you learn that it is better not to do it again).

IS: What is your favorite place science has taken you?

Gema: It wasn´t directly science, but I went there with my salary working on science. I went to Sri Lanka and I fell in love with the country, the people, the landscapes… Sitting in the patio and see the flying foxes passing above you, having a walk in the village and see all sort of animals on the way, the amazing and numerous ant species, huge termite nests, the turtles, the leopards sitting in front of the car! Funny but shocking situations like a guy throwing a stick in a lake and see dozens of crocodiles moving there just to show us that the place was full of them (I thought that we would get back to the village without that guy…), Adam´s peak and little Adam´s peak, the people… There are no words to describe the experience.

Stefan Popp is a PhD student, soon to be a Doctor, working on the foraging behavior of ants. His recent research published in Insectes Sociaux can be viewed here.

IS: Who are you, and what do you do?

SP: I am Stefan Popp, and I am interested in invertebrate behavior. In my PhD with Anna Dornhaus at the University of Arizona, which I just finished this August, I investigated the search behavior of ants. In my thesis, I described a regular meandering pattern, which makes the ants’ search more efficient. I also found that colonies in a new environment explore the vicinity of their nest more on the first day, and that interindividual search behavior variation might be more important for colony coordination than communication via chemical footprints.

IS: How did you develop an interest in your research?

SP: From very early on I have been interested in the critters in my backyard and have devoured every nature and science documentary on TV, to the point where my first dream job I can remember was ‘nature documentary film maker in the Amazonas basin’. The two topics I would get most excited by were animal cognition and swarm behavior. During my bachelor’s at the University of Würzburg I did several internships to check whether I really wanted to study ants and have stuck with it ever since.

IS: What is your favorite social insect, and why?

SP: I adore all highly visual and aggressive ants, like Indian jumper ants (Harpegnathos spp.) or weaver ants (Oecophylla spp.). The way they look at you makes my heart melt more than any puppy or kitten could.

IS: What is the best moment/discovery in your research so far? What made it so memorable?

SP: Seeing the first tracks from the tracking software from the early-2000s and spotting the regular turning patterns we describe in my first publication from my PhD. First, it felt like magic getting that tracking script to work with very little coding experience. Then, seeing that fractal-like pattern of ants meandering like rivers, which is invisible when you’re just watching the ants move in real time (they walk very slowly), made me think that this is the first real ‘discovery’ of my career. This was now 6 years ago, and I am still trying to answer questions about the ‘why’ and especially ‘how’ of this behavior.

IS: Do you teach or do outreach/science communication? How do you incorporate your research into these areas?

SP: I taught various courses throughout my PhD studies and often tried to give at least one brief lecture on cool ants and my research and use ant examples, adding a personal touch and more organic enthusiasm. I also somewhat regularly upload vlogs about my life as an international PhD student, presentations, and science communication videos to YouTube. In the beginning I did weekly vlogs, but that became a bit much after a couple of years. I also participated in outreach events at local schools and festivals, but to me, the day-to-day interactions with strangers are at least just as important. As an anecdote, I recently went to a conference in Tel Aviv. The day before the conference started, I participated in a walking tour of the city, where I got into a conversation with a young couple. They were so fascinated by what I do that after the tour, we sat down, I pulled my laptop out, and gave an impromptu presentation about my work and social insects in general. After 2 hours of intense science conversation, they invited me to a snack at the local market and we continued with our afternoons. That was a very gratifying experience.

IS: What do you think are some of the important current questions in social insect research, and what’s essential for future research?

SP: What do all the lesser-studied species do? Like many, I believe that we need a lot more natural history knowledge about a broad range of species. There are so many fascinating behaviors we have discovered, from face-identifying wasps over ball-playing bumble bees to wound-caring ants. With the vast diversity of lesser studied social insects there are bound to be many more behaviors of this kind waiting to be uncovered. I hope I can contribute to that knowledge myself in the future.

IS: What research questions generate the biggest debate in social insect research at the moment?

SP: To me, it is the whole division of labor, task allocation and specialization debate. As a spectator, it feels like everyone gets some bits right but doesn’t necessarily acknowledge the great complexity of it across species.

IS: What is the last book you read? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

SP: In our last book club in the lab, we read ‘The Mind of a Bee’ by Lars Chittka, and I can recommend it. The author gives a nice overview of the sensory and cognitive abilities of bees and weaves in many anecdotes from his own research career and that of other scientists, some from more than 100 years ago. Despite having quite some knowledge on social insects I still learned a lot from it and generated lots of questions. The biggest weak point, in my opinion, is that the word ‘consciousness’ is never defined. As a bonus, I would like to give a podcast recommendation: The Huberman Lab. Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist who gives extensive reviews in podcast form on the science of health, productivity, and well-being. I now know a lot more about the brain and could implement a lot of the tools and habits.

IS: Outside of science, what are your favorite activities, hobbies, or sports?

SP: I love snowboarding and trail running and sometimes go on multi-day bikepacking tours. I also enjoy going to EDM festivals (a.k.a. ‘raves’) and learning languages. I’m currently learning French with the Comprehensible Input method. And there is never enough time to learn about other fields of science through YouTube videos…

IS: How do you keep going when things get tough?

SP: I try to schedule enough exercise and being social, which are the foundations of my well-being. I typically don’t compromise on sleep, so don’t have to worry too much about that. I’m a huge fan of self-improvement, so in difficult periods I try to apply some of the practices from the many books and podcasts I consumed and reread certain books just to get me into the right mindset. What pushed me through tough times during my PhD studies was the knowledge (or faith) that all you need to be successful is grit. The rest will fall into place somehow.

IS: If you were to go live on an uninhabited island and could only bring three things, what would you bring? Why?

SP: Three friends (or whoever wants to come). The pandemic lockdowns showed me that human connection is invaluable.

IS: Who do you think has had the most considerable influence on your science career?

SP: My PhD advisor, Anna Dornhaus. She has strong opinions on how science should be done and was the best advisor I could imagine. I gained a lot of practical knowledge about how to navigate academia and she is always a cheerleader for her students. Anna was always very supportive, loving, and honest, which made my experience in the PhD and in academia in general very positive.

IS: What advice would you give to someone hoping to be a social insect researcher in the future?

SP: This goes for any field: Try to get an idea of what you really want to know and what you would like to do day-to-day. Observe social insects and bring your implicit questions to the forefront of your mind. Read broadly and follow rabbit holes. Do research internships whenever possible! Don’t be afraid to cold-email professors.

IS: Has learning from a mistake ever led you to success?

SP: I’m still waiting for the success resulting from many of my mistakes… Besides the usual improvements of writing, presentations, and coding through feedback, I often made the mistake of not introducing myself to professors at conferences just to make myself known. I learned from the regret and gained some opportunities from such encounters.

IS: What is your favorite place science has taken you?

SP: Cote d’Ivoire. I spent 6 weeks there for a project that could have become a part of my thesis but hasn’t worked out yet because of challenges tracking ants in the field. It was my first time in Africa and the closest I’ve been to the tropics. The people, nature, climate, and life at the field station all left very fond memories.

Damien will take over the position from Daniela Römer in spring 2024

IS: Who are you, and what do you do?

DG: Hello! I am Damien Gergonne, born in Toulouse, in France, and I am a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. I am interested in evolutionary biology of social insects. I did my PhD on the phylogeography of some Neotropical termites. I am currently working on the invasion dynamics of the invasive wasp Vespula germanica. I also have a couple of parallel projects on termites that I have not given up on, and on the evolution of eusociality, a topic I am passionate about. I am also a musician in my spare time.

Damien Gergonne, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Stellenbosch, focuses on evolutionary biology of social insects. His current work centers on the invasion dynamics of Vespula germanica wasps.

At the end of Damien’s doctoral defense, with his supervisors. From left to right: Chantal Poteaux, Virginie Roy, Damien Gergonne and David Sillam-Dussès.

IS: How did you develop an interest in your research?

DG: Ever since I first observed some Messor ants in my childhood garden and Crematogaster climbing walls, I have always been interested in social insects (without knowing the name at the time, of course!). Much later, at the University of Toulouse, I did my first internship in a laboratory, and that is where it all really began. The people you work with have a huge influence on the passion and interest you develop over time. I was lucky enough to do my first internship with Enikő Csata and Audrey Dussutour. They helped me get my foot up the ladder. Within a few months I understood that research is very demanding, but above all exciting, and that was it, I wanted to work on social insects.

IS: What is your favorite social insect, and why?

DG: I do not wish to make enemies. I appreciate all social insects, and I am in favor of ending this amusing rivalry between Hymenoptera and termites (although it is important to remember that termites evolved toward eusociality before any other insects).

Damien under the rain in Peru in 2022

IS: What is the best moment/discovery in your research so far? What made it so memorable?

DG: From my modest experience, I think the day my first article was accepted for publication. It was the happiest day of my life. The end of a long and winding road where my endurance was severely tested. I opened the window to express my joy by shouting. The neighborhood didn’t understand what happened but at least they did not call the police. One of my favorite moments, too, was the first time I went in the South American rainforest. A childhood dream come true!

An Embiratermes neotenicus nest in the Peruvian rainforest.

IS: What made you interested in becoming the next social media editor of Insectes Sociaux?

DG: Social insects are fascinating in so many ways. However, when I mention that I’m working on social insects, I sometimes forget to specify what they are, and I realize that not everyone knows. I thought it was important to highlight them. Also, on a more personal note, I think that when we are working on a specific topic, we all tend to get our heads stuck in our own research topic. For me, becoming the next social media editor will be a way to maintain a general overview of social insect research and to meet other researchers.

IS: What ideas do you have to develop the social media presence of Insectes Sociaux?

DG: I will probably work on creating more stories, more polished visual content with some explanations that are accessible to the general audience. The blogs will continue and I will look for a way to highlight them a bit more. I am open to any ideas you might have.

IS: Do you teach or do outreach/science communication? How do you incorporate your research into these areas?

DG: Apart from a few scientific conferences, I am not involved in much communication or teaching now, since I finished my PhD in 2023. However, I was lucky enough to participate in “Ma thèse en 180 secondes” a few years ago. I had to present my work in 3 minutes to a non-specialist audience. It’s a very enriching experience that helps improve your ability to synthesize information and speak to the general audience. I would advise any PhD student to try it if it exists in their country.

IS: What do you think are some of the important current questions in social insect research, and what is essential for future research?

DG:There are many. For me, one of the big questions is the emergence of eusociality in insects, and why it occurs in groups as far apart as termites and ants, for example. There is a lot of research going on, but there is still so much to understand. What’s more, there is still a lot to be learned about the dispersal of these insects at different temporal and geographic scales. The study of dispersal has many uses. For example, it can help us understand how vulnerable and ecologically important species respond to changes in habitat. In the case of invasive species, it can also help us understand the factors that limit invasions. On larger geographic and temporal scales, it shows how these insects have evolved.

Microhodotermes viator in activity, close to Stellenbosch, in South Africa.

IS: Outside of science, what are your favorite activities, hobbies, or sports?

DG: Music, especially punk rock music. I play in a band called Little Havana and we are currently working on our new album. It is like submitting an article. It is a long process of creativity, rigor, and you have to have fun doing it. All the members of the band are like co-authors of the album and we have to get it right. And stick to the plan. I also recently fell in love with boxing. Doing science all day and then going to the club to fight is something I really enjoy, although I still get punched in the face too often…

Little Havana performing at Toulouse at L’Engrenage in 2023. From left to right: Max, Damien, Félix (behind, at the drums), and Yuk (cred: Mélodie De Radvan).

IS: What is the last book you read? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

DG: I have just finished “La vie de fourmis / La vie des termites” by the belgian author Maurice Maeterlinck. Despite the sometimes overly anthropomorphic reflections and the accusations of plagiarism that have surrounded a part of his writings, the book remains a pleasant and interesting read. With a critical mind, it is not unpleasant to deviate a little from scientific reality with a little more poetry. However, I think there are books that are more relevant if you are interested in social insects, as some of the information is outdated.

IS: How do you keep going when things get tough?

DG: When I was in France, rehearsing with my band or doing a punk rock show was a great way to take my mind off things and use up my energy. It helped me to take my mind off things and come back to work with a new motivation. Now that I am in South Africa, I still play music, but I use my energy mostly through sports. It does not matter how bad a day I have had, a quick workout can help me regain control of my life. Something important too: since I have been in South Africa, I have been calling friends and family more, which helps.

IS: If you were to go live on an uninhabited island and could only bring three things, what would you bring? Why?

DG: A guitar to keep me from getting bored, my binoculars, and a bird guide to the island in question, because it is important to know who my neighbors are.

IS: Who do you think has had the most considerable influence on your science career?

DG: My career is still too short to have the necessary hindsight to pick just one person! All my supervisors, from my first internship to my PhD, have passed on their passion to me, but they have also taught me to be more rigorous and, above all, helped me to make important decisions and sacrifices. I have been fortunate to meet great people who I have stayed in touch with. I can also mention Greg Graffin. He is the leader of a punk rock band and a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles. By reading his books and listening to his music, I understood that I could do science and music at the same time, and I also understood the punk side of doing science. Sometimes you have to accept and defend ideas that are contrary to those that are implanted in the popular mind.

IS: What advice would you give to someone hoping to be a social insect researcher in the future?

DG: Do not choose a study model too quickly, choose a big question. I do not think you should have a vision that is limited to one particular study model, but rather that you should be open to the possibility of changing models, as I was when I went from ants to termites, and then from termites to wasps. But it’s important to have a guiding question, a kind of thread that runs through the research. That question can be very broad, but it will be refined and take different directions over time and as opportunities arise.

Temnothorax crassispinus, found at the University of Regensburg, in Germany, in 2019. Nests can be found by breaking off small branches.

IS: Has learning from a mistake ever led you to success?

DG: I have no particular example, but of course I make a lot of mistakes, many of which I fortunately no longer make. And others that stay with me. Little by little I try to get better at doing science. I still listen to people who are more experienced.

In the Colombian tropical forest, sampling some Embiratermes chagresi termites in 2022.

IS: What is your favorite place science has taken you?

DG: In 2022, we were collecting termites in the Colombian forest in the hinterland not far from Buenaventura. The political climate had thrown the country into a kind of turmoil, so we were stuck in a forest station for a few days, with orders not to leave until the narcos and armed groups had reopened the roads. It is stupid, but I was happy at the time, because my only problem in life was how to avoid this goat that attacked me as soon as I left my cabin (it literally followed me to kill me), but otherwise I experienced it as a sweet vacation in the middle of nowhere… I will always remember this place.

The devil goat.

The view from the Centro Forestal Tropical Pedro Antonio Pineda, in Colombia.

Please note: The deadline for abstracts is February 15, 2024!

Wepage: https://wp.unil.ch/iussi-europe-2024/

From

Cleo Bertelsmeier

Dear social insect lovers, dear friends and colleagues,

We are excited to host the European meeting of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI) in Lausanne, Switzerland, 07.-11. July 2024.

© Regis Colombo

The meeting will bring together researchers working on a diverse range of topics including (but not limited to) reproductive strategies, collective behaviour, division of labour, neuroethology, social genetics and genomics, disease and immunity, chemical ecology, morphology and systematics, evolution, biodiversity, community ecology and biogeography of social insects in a stimulating and friendly atmosphere. The full list of symposia can be found here:

https://wp.unil.ch/iussi-europe-2024/symposia/list-of-symposia/

If your work does not fit with any of the proposed symposia, you may submit an abstract to the open sessions.

We will be hosted by the University of Lausanne, which is ideally located next to the lake of Geneva, with some sandy beaches and many cafes and summer bars installed along the lakeside. In July, the weather is usually sunny and temperatures around 25°C, allowing you to enjoy swimming in the lake. The famous UNESCO-heritage Lavaux vineyards are close by, and the mountains (Alps and Jura mountains) can be reached within less than one hour.

© UNIL

The registration for the conference will include three and a half days for scientific sessions, plenaries and posters, a half day for excursions in our region, a welcome reception, and a banquet on the final evening.

More details on our half-day excursions that include a boat ride and visit to the Chillon castle, a hike and panoramic view on Rocher-de-Naye, a visit to a supercolony of wood ants or wine tasting in Lavaux (you will need to pick your favorites!) can be found here: https://wp.unil.ch/iussi-europe-2024/excursions/

Our invited plenary speakers are Bonnie Blaimer (MfN Berlin, Germany), Daniel Kronauer (Rockefeller University, USA), Lars Chittka (Queen Mary University, UK), Patrizia d’Ettorre (University Paris Sorbonne Nord, France) and Susanne Foitzik (University of Mainz, Germany).

On behalf of the organizing committee, I invite you to join us in Lausanne in 2024 and help us make this meeting amazing.

Cleo Bertelsmeier

© Nicole Chuard

By Yek Sze Huei

with Long Seh Ling, Gan Jason Yew Seng and Loke Wei Qi

If someone were to ask any scientist to sum up his reason for doing science in one word, the answer would most likely be : CURIOSITY

In this blog post Yek Sze Huei and coauthors tell us how their curiosity resulted in their latest publication out in Insectes Sociaux surveying ant predation on turtle nesting beaches which resulted in an innovative elevated incubation system important for sea turtle conservation.

Ant infestations have been detected on sea turtle nesting beaches since the early 1990s on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Sea turtle conservationists take note of these infestations but rarely keep a consistent record of these lesser-known interactions. This had piqued the interest of an intern at Lang Tengah Turtle Watch (LTTW), a sea turtle conservation organization, to work on his invasive ant research during his internship.

Jason: My eyes lit up when Sze Huei told me about the opportunity in 2019. “There’s a sea turtle NGO on Lang Tengah Island,” she said. “Maybe get to know them and the island and it’ll make your job of collecting ant samples a bit easier?” Next thing you know, I’m on a small speedboat heading for a remote island in the South China Sea. During the day, I was making sure my pitfall traps weren’t flooded by unpredictable rains and at nighttime, I was patrolling nesting beaches, ensuring sea turtle mothers were free from disturbance and their eggs safe from poaching.

Foto 1: The hatchery where ant predation was detected. Jason Gan@LTTW

Jason: This led me to becoming a full-time sea turtle conservationist in 2020 after concluding my research with Sze Huei on yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) on Lang Tengah Island. In 2021, while excavating green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests on one of the nesting beaches in mainland Terengganu, Malaysia, we stumbled upon a shocking but fascinating discovery: sea turtle hatchlings (some even still alive) were being eaten by ants. I had to get in touch with Sze Huei – there were so many questions that needed to be answered!

Foto 2: D. laevigatus ants attacking newly emerged hatchlings. Photo credit Jason Gan@LTTW

Foto 3: Close up of D. laevigatus ants attacking newly emerged hatclings. Photo credit Long Seh Ling@LTTW

The dual interests of Jason connected Sze Huei Yek (his academic supervisor) and Seh Ling Long (his workplace supervisor) with the hopes of getting a clearer picture of the infestation pattern, factors of predation and the ant species responsible for these attacks.

Hence the birth of this short report that sheds light on the impact of ant predation on sea turtle eggs and hatchlings on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, a critical nesting site for green and hawksbill turtles.

We contacted sea turtle conservation NGOs that keep consistent records and were willing to share their data with us — many expressed interest. However, only some kept the same data quality we required to compute ant predation rate. During our time of data collection, Bubbles Dive Resort, a small sea turtle conservation organization, was experiencing heavy ant infestation and was trying out an innovative ant-proof incubation method.

Wei Qi: During the regular nesting years there usually weren’t any ant predations on the project site at Bubbles Dive Resort. Predation began in June 2022 where it was quite fast and sudden. It started with two nests that were hatching. Due to safety precautions the team quickly checked the other nests that were still incubating in the hatchery and found out that all of them already had ants cutting into the turtle eggs and consuming their contents.

Wei Qi: We got involved in the study as we started asking around other projects if they had encountered a similar problem. We were hoping to find a solution that could work for our location or if this incident was new, to let other projects know that it could be a potential problem in the future. We found out that this problem was more prevalent than we thought. We got involved with this paper after speaking with Sze Huei. Wei Qi: There were a few different things that we did to counter the ant problem. Based on past literature, our hatchery was built with a minimum distance of 1 meter from the tree line, however that proved to be insufficient as the ants managed to tunnel to the hatchery and got around through the hatchery wall instead of a root network. Eventually our nests were elevated and incubated in buckets, away from the raiding territory of the predatory ants (Dorylus laevigatus). After the nests had been elevated for a significant amount of time, the ants finally left the area due to the lack of a food source.

Foto 4: The elevated bucket system. Photo credit Loke Wei Qi@Bubbles Dive Resort

Seh Ling: As ant predation is not always recorded, it is hard to gauge the severity of egg and hatchling mortality caused by ants. Therefore, standardizing ant predation recording across all sea turtle organizations where predation on both eggs and hatchlings are consistently recorded will provide a better picture of the scale of ant predation and its impact on the survival of sea turtles. Furthermore, by engaging with ant researchers, we are able to identify ant species and understand the ants’ behavior, in hopes to develop more effective strategies to mitigate ant predation on sea turtle nests.

Foto 5: Quantifying hatchling success rate & types of predation. Photo credit Azrin Asyikin binti Mohd Shukor@LTTW

Sze Huei: From an ant researcher’s perspective, it’s interesting to document this behavior of underground driver ants. Have nesting beaches always been these ants’ hunting ground? Can we (ant researchers and sea turtle conservationists) work together to predict ant predation and bait these destructive predators away from the nesting beaches? These are essential questions that urgently need addressing to ensure the long-term conservation of the sea turtles of Malaysia.

By Raul M. Pisno

Pisno’s study, together with his colleagues Dinamarta V. Ferreira, Julia J. Ferla and José E. Serrão tested whether mite population growth is dependent on termite mortality. Their results indicate that termite mortality favors the increase of Australhypopus sp. populations. The paper can be found here.

Termites are recognized as ecosystem engineers since they modify the environment to obtain resources as food and nests components. Their nests are environments favorable to housing other organisms that interact indirectly (e.g., lichens that grow on the walls of termites) or directly, as in the case of termitophiles.

Termitophiles are organisms, mostly arthropods that must spend at least one stage of their lifespan inside the termite nest. These organisms have morphological, behavioral, or physiological adaptations that allow the coexistence with the hosts inside the nests. Flies (Phoridae) and beetles (Staphylinidae), for instance, present an enlargement of the abdomen, resulting in a body shape similar to termites.

Most of the termitophiles have small populations inside the host nests, making their ecological relationships a fascinating enigma since termite nests have controlled and uniform environmental conditions. Therefore, when we discovered a mite that rapidly increased its population, associated with a termite, we had a rare opportunity to study the ecological relationships between them.

The discovery of the mite and its ability to rapidly increase its population was unplanned. We collected nest fragments of the termite Cornitermes cumulans (Kollar 1832) (Blattodea; Isoptera: Termitidae) for other objectives. However, we found that some individuals had one or two mites attached to their body, mainly on the head. We sent some to the acarology laboratory at the Federal University of Viçosa, and it was discovered that it was actually a new species!

As time passed, the colonies kept in the laboratory weakened and the number of mites attached to the termites increased. At this point, we asked ourselves: Does the increase in the mite population weaken the termite population, or is the mite population increasing because the termites are dying?

Fig. 1 The team of researchers: a Raul M. Pisno; b Dinamarta V. Ferreira; c Julia J. Ferla; d José E. Serrão  

First, we looked for an answer in the literature but found only very little concerning this subject. So we designed a setup to answer our question and simultaneously describe the relationship of the new species with its host. We made a new collection of termite nest fragments. They were kept in the laboratory for 15 days for periodic sampling to count mites and for survival analysis. On day 15, when colonies were weakened and the mite population had increased, we collected samples to test whether mite development depended on termite mortality.

The results did not come as a surprise, but it was fascinating to describe an unusual relationship. The mite remains in an immature stage stuck to the termite body, without feeding, until the host dies. Only then does the mite proceed with its development to complete its life cycle, including reproduction, while feeding on the carcass of the termite.

The discovery and description of this fascinating relationship, summarized in these few lines above, may have important implications for studying ecological and evolutionary relationships in social insects! If we look at the mite relationship from the point of view of the termites individually, we would have a commensal relationship; at the host colony level, we would have a mutualistic relationship, since the mite may provide a hygienic service by rapidly feeding on carcasses before microorganisms and harmful organisms infect the colony.

Fig. 2 a Nests of the termite Cornitermes cumulans in the field; b petri dish with termites for mite count; c termites burying a beetle next to their nest in the field

From an evolutionary point of view, the mechanism used by mites to recognize the host as a corpse and then continue its development is only possible through a long evolutionary pathway, showing the importance of termites in the evolution of other species. If we look at the number of species that have developed some adaptation to be able to live with termites, we might recognize termites not just as ecosystem but as biodiversity engineers.

IS: Who are you, and what do you do?

I am a tenured CNRS researcher working at the Research Institute of Insect Biology at the University of Tours, France. I did my PhD about 15 years ago on the resolution of social conflicts in ants, and since then I have been studying the early evolution of social life in insects (mostly using non-model species such as earwigs). In my group, we try to understand why individuals switched from solitary to social life (and vice versa), and what parameters may have allowed the maintenance of social life over evolutionary time. Our current projects focus on how early social evolution deals with the conflict/cooperation trade-off, the risk of pathogen transmission, and more generally, on how anthropic pollution may affect social evolution.

IS: How did you develop an interest in your research?

That’s a good question. I don’t really know. I think it’s a step-by-step construction that’s happened through encounters, opportunities and luck. For example, I became interested in behavioural ecology through an optional ecology course in my early years at university, which allowed me to realise that not everything in biology is about molecules and biochemistry. I then became interested in insects because it allowed me to avoid courses on dissecting rats (which I found quite difficult), and it quickly became clear that insect behaviour would be a fascinating subject. I ended up doing a PhD on ants without really knowing ants, having previously done internships on the behavioural manipulation of mosquitoes by a parasite and on chemical communication in dung beetles. It was during my PhD that it all took shape and my taste for social evolution developed.

IS: What is your favorite social insect, and why?

Earwigs, of course! During my PhD, I noticed that researchers interested in social evolution often focus on eusocial species or use comparative approaches between taxonomic groups that contain different forms of sociality. While the resulting work provides important information about the general evolution of eusociality, it is often less relevant for better understanding the very first evolutionary step of social evolution, i.e. when solitary individuals “decided” to adopt group living. To answer this question, one would need to study social (but not eusocial) insects that exhibit relatively simpler forms of sociality, such as family life and aggregation. After reviewing the literature, I realised that the European earwig met these criteria and could be a perfect model system to fill this knowledge gap. Having spent 15 years studying its biology and behaviour, I could not agree more! We are currently extending our knowledge of other species of earwigs, including F. pubescens – the subject of our study published in Insectes Sociaux. The results are very promising, and I have no doubt that these other earwig species will be of great importance to improve our general understanding of early social evolution in insects.

A mother of the European earwig providing care to her clutch of nymphs, copyright by Joël Meunier

IS: What is the best moment/discovery in your research so far? What made it so memorable?

A few years ago, we found that earwig larvae (called nymphs) share food during family life. This form of cooperation was very surprising, because in any animal the nature of sibling interactions typically ranges from competitive (up to and including cannibalism) to neutral. Here we showed for the first time that they can also cooperate, and that this cooperation occurs in a species where maternal care is not obligatory to ensure offspring development and survival! This opened up a large series of experiments to determine whether the benefits of this cooperation could be an evolutionary driver for the maintenance of family life (independent of maternal care), and thus a key promoter for the early emergence of family life. This was memorable because it was a very risky project (as we had no reason to believe that the outcome would be different from the other species) and we had no hope that it would work. It was a good lesson and showed me that sometimes we should test our crazy ideas!

IS: Do you teach or do outreach/science communication? How do you incorporate your research into these areas?

I love public outreach and science communication. Especially when you can make people realise that the insects they don’t like actually have fascinating lives. I often try to draw parallels between human and earwig family life, and I like to make people think: “Why should this happen to earwigs and not to us?”. The answers are often very illuminating, and the boundaries of the comparison are not always obvious.

IS: What do you think are some of the important current questions in social insect research, and what’s essential for future research?

The world as we know it is changing, and insects are at the forefront of the consequences. We often try to understand how species evolved towards sociality, what parameters led them to what we see today, and how social life was the solution to the problems these species faced. But the environment is changing dramatically, and we may wonder whether sociality will be an advantage in the near future. Chemical pollution, global warming, drought, and climatic events are potentially new challenges that these species will have to adapt to in a very short time. Perhaps sociality will be an inconvenience in this new world, and it seems important to me to question the impact of these anthropic changes on the future of social life in insects.

IS: What research questions generate the biggest debate in social insect research at the moment?

I don’t know if this is the biggest debate, but a major challenge in social insect research is the number of replicates. To date, many studies are still conducted on a very limited number of colonies (for practical reasons) and I think this is a significant problem in terms of repeatability. A growing number of studies show that colonies can have very different traits (e.g., personalities) and using a very small number of them can lead to misleading conclusions. This has recently been shown for epigenetic effects on caste determination, but I am convinced that it is a much broader issue.

A picture of the “Earwig group” just after a field sampling session in 2019, copyright by Joël Meunier

IS: What is the last book you read? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

This is not the last book I read, but probably the one that had the most influence on my research: “The Other Insect Societies” by James R. Costa (ISBN 9780674021631). This book is very well written and provides a comprehensive overview of all forms of insect societies. If you are interested in any insect species that is social but not eusocial, this book is clearly for you. And if you are only interested in eusocial insects, this book will open your mind and make you realize that there are other fascinating forms of sociality out there.

IS: Outside of science, what are your favorite activities, hobbies, or sports?

I mainly play music (bass guitar). My band rehearsals are one of the few times during the week when I can really and effectively stop thinking about work – and it feels great! I also enjoy playing board (and video) games with my children.

IS: How do you keep going when things get tough?

I am lucky enough to be able to quickly put those moments into perspective: I have a fantastic and supportive family, I have great colleagues and friends that I get to interact with every day, I have a steady job where I do not have to worry about getting paid next month, and most importantly, that job is observing the behavior of earwigs! At the end of this argument, things often start to get much easier 😊

IS: If you were to go live on an uninhabited island and could only bring three things, what would you bring? Why?

I would probably bring a terrarium, a camera, and a guitar. The terrarium would allow me to maintain the insects I would catch on the island. The camera would be to take picture of them and to film their surprising behaviour. The guitar would just help me wait for a rescue boat to come 😊

A mother of the European earwig providing care to her clutch of eggs, copyright by Joël Meunier

IS: Who do you think has had the most considerable influence on your science career?

I have had the opportunity to meet many fantastic researchers during my career, and most of them have had a significant impact on me. If I had to choose three, I would go in chronological order and start with my PhD supervisor, Michel Chapuisat. He introduced me to ants and their social behaviour, and taught me how to conduct robust experiments and write papers. I would then move on to my postdoctoral supervisor, Mathias Kölliker. He introduced me to the fascinating world of earwig sociality (which I never left) and showed me that it was possible to be both an excellent researcher and a great human being. I’ve learnt a lot from him about how to create good working conditions in a group. The third is the head of the laboratory where I had my first assistant professorship, Susanne Foitzik. She was the first to give me the freedom and confidence to develop my own group. In addition, I was always fascinated by her extraordinary level of scientific knowledge on all subjects (!) and her endless enthusiasm for results and experiments.

IS: What advice would you give to someone hoping to be a social insect researcher in the future?

Be open-minded, resilient and believe in yourself. Make sure you do what you love, be passionate about it and you will create your own space. Remember that there are as many ways to be a social insect researcher as there are social insect researchers, and there are many ways to be happy in life.

IS: Has learning from a mistake ever led you to success?

I like Nelson Mandela’s phrase: “I never lose. I either win or I learn”. I think it applies very well to a scientific career. You never fail. You either find what you expected, or you learn something new.

IS: What is your favorite place science has taken you?

I am not really a “field” person, as I mostly sample my insects in Europe and in orchards. My favorite place to be is therefore not very exotic. It is probably the labs where I have been invited to present my research and talk with students and colleagues. These meetings are a source of endless energy, ideas and excitement for me, and I always look forward to them!