ECOLOGICAL-STUDIES ON CARDIOCONDYLA-ECTOPIA SNELLING (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

At this location, Cardiocondyla ectopia Snelling is a largely diurnal species which foraged throughout the year when ambient temperatures ex ceeded 18.9 degrees C. Its major food source was nectar from sweet aly ssum flowers, Lobularia maritima Desvaux. It preyed on insects, partic ularly small caterpillars, and it was also a scavenger. It nested in s mall cavities in mortar, cracks and expansion joints in concrete, and in soil. A colony was excavated from which 322 ants were retrieved. Th is represented the largest nest population ever recorded for a Cardioc ondyla species. A number of behavioral strategies, in addition to a po tent repellent chemical, probably allow C. ectopia to live in sympatry and synchrony with Linepithema humile (Mayr).