Ants on the move: Nest relocation in the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius

Colonies of ground-nesting ants are not as sedentary as they appear. Many species, including the Florida harvester ant, move their nest regularly, exposing the colony to risk and expending energy to excavate a new nest.  A population of over 400 colonies was GPS-mapped 6 times a year for 3 years.  These surveys showed that colonies move about once a year in a random direction for an average of 4 m.  Detailed observations on 20 complete moves revealed that the entire new nest excavation/move was completed in 4 to 7 days, and that the colony recreated the same vertical arrangement of brood, workers and seeds as in the old nest. It is likely that the foragers stimulated and organized these moves.