How ants acclimate: impact of climatic conditions on the cuticular hydrocarbon profile

1. Organisms from temperate zones are exposed to seasonal changes and must be able to cope with a wide range of climatic conditions. Especially ectotherms, including insects, are at risk to desiccate under dry and warm conditions, the more so given the changing climate. 2. To adjust to current conditions, organisms acclimate through changes in physiology, morphology and/or behaviour. Insects protect themselves against desiccation through a layer of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) on their body surface. Hence, acclimation may also affect the CHC profile, changing their waterproofing capacity under different climatic conditions. 3. Here, we investigated the acclimation response of two Temnothorax ant species to different climatic conditions. We analysed CHC profiles of queens, nurses and foragers that were acclimated to different humidity x temperature regimes, and tested the beneficial acclimation hypothesis by measuring survival of workers under desiccation-heat stress. 4. Both ants posses...