Rubbish dumps reveal the diet of ant colonies : Myrmica schencki Em. and Myrmica rubra (L.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as facultative pollen-eaters

Myrmica schencki Em. and M. rubra (L.), common Palaearctic ant species, collect fallen male Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) inflorescence during the pine blossom time, take it to their nests and then gather it on rubbish piles close to nest-entrances. Dissection of M. schencki workers revealed the presence of numerous pollen grains in their crops and midguts proving at least periodical pollenivory of these ants. So far, only some Neotropical ants of the genus Cephalotes Latr. have been known to eat pollen.