Data for differential feeding responses of several bee species to sugar sources containing Iridomyrmecin, an Argentine ant trail pheromone component

These data describe the bioassays associated with published article, doi: 10.1007/s10905-020-09748-8 (Differential Feeding Responses of Several Bee Species to Sugar Sources Containing Iridomyrmecin, an Argentine Ant Trail Pheromone Component).

We investigated the response of three commercially important pollinator species to a pheromone deposited by Argentine ants at a food source. The Argentine ant Linepithema humile is one of the most invasive and problematic ant species; it has been introduced to Mediterranean-type habitats around the globe. In invaded areas, the Argentine ant has negatively affected a diversity of native plant and animal taxa Using three bee species that are commercial pollinators (Megachile rotundata, Osmia lignaria, and Apis mellifera), we sought to quantify the effects of an invasive Argentine ant pheromone on the resource collection of bees. Our study suggests that flowers or other nectar sources that are currently visited by Argentine ants are likely to have iridomyrmecin deposited on them.