6 replies to this topic

[Quizzie]

We caught two more queens today. Sorry for spamming this section recently, but we've been lucky these few days!

I have no idea what they are. They have very different coloration, but otherwise look the same

 

Location of collection: Czech Republic

Date of collection: August 2nd 2019

Habitat of collection: park on city edge

Length: 9-11 mm (one is slightly bigger)

Coloration: red head and thorax, gaster is silver in the first and red in the other queen

Texture: shiny; slightly hairy gaster

 

 

[Acutus]

I have no idea but they are AWESOME looking ants for sure!!

[ponerinecat]

They are some sort of polyergus. Really difficult to raise, as they are a slave raiding species and cannot sustain or even feed themselves.

[ponerinecat]

If you really want to raise them, you will need a portion of a formica colony with workers and brood. You will also need to supply the colony with formica brood whenever they need new slaves. Once the colony is founded, the loss of their formica slaves will mean death unless you can artificially hatch a worker(Which is not that hard.).

[ponerinecat]

They are really rewarding to raise, though, and fascinating to watch. Some people have reported slave rebellions and polyergus workers supressing or being swarmed by the rebellion.

[Acutus]

Sounds like an Ants game of thrones!

[Quizzie]

Wow, thank you! So it must be Polyergus rufescens, though we caught pretty dark ones (especially the first). There's no other Polyergus species here.

 

I don't feel like raising slave-raiders, so they'll be going back into the wild. Though they do look awesome!