Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Cincinnati Zoo Honored With Edward H. Bean Award

CONTACT: Jane Ballentine, (301)562-0777, x 252

CHICAGO, IL, 18 September 2005 – The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) today honored the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden with the Edward H. Bean Award for the "Long-term Propagation and Captive Management of the Honey Ant (Myrmecocystus mendax)." Zoo officials accepted the award at the AZA's 81st Annual Conference, meeting here this week.

Honey ants' most distinguishing feature is rarely seen by humans. Within their deep underground nests, many workers do little more than hang from nest chamber ceilings as living food storage containers. They hoard nectar and other liquid food brought to them by surface-foraging ants within expandable balloon-like abdomens, eventually swelling to the size of small grapes.

In 1985, the Cincinnati Zoo Insectarium began field and laboratory work with honey ants and was the first AZA member institution to work with these animals. During this and subsequent years, they developed and refined field methodology, husbandry and display techniques, and created a long-term captive management program for these amazing insects.

They have broadly shared their successes with the zoological community via three publications and other professional communications. They have also provided captive-reared colonies to several AZA member institutions and similar organizations for public display. Together these efforts have greatly contributed to the growing popularity and importance of honey ants as live educational exhibit animals.

Each year, AZA presents the Bean Award in recognition of efforts by its member institutions in the long-term captive management and husbandry of various animal species. The Bean Award was established in 1956, honoring Edward H. Bean, the first director of the Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, Illinois. For more information contact Barbara Rish at 513-559-7724

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