22 replies to this topic

[Manitobant]

A question I have wondered is what is the hardest ant species you guys have kept. This doesnt necessarily need to be a well known hard species like carebara diversa, it can be any species which has given you a very hard time.

For me the answer would be polyergus mexicanus or rufa group formica. Both are parasitic, with the former needing lots of slave brood and the latter needing a highly ventilated formicarium and tons of food.

Edited by Manitobant, September 24 2019 - 12:26 PM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I wouldn't really see that this species is too difficult, but more of the fact that bad things end up happening whenever I keep this species. It's for sure Cyphomyrmex rimosus. The first time I tried, it was November and my mom got a Appendectomy the next day and I had to keep my ants outside cause she wouldn't let me bring them in. Needless to say, it got down to 24 degrees that night and there was a huge dye-off, including the queen. Next colony, I didn't have any formicarium to keep them in, and by the time I build a formicarium for them, the container they were in was too dry and they died. They're extremely moisture sensitive. Last colony was doing really well until I went on vacation to Florida. Someone was watching my ants while I was gone, but he didn't hydrate the formicarium enough and they all died. The species is really common here, and I know where a few colonies may be, so I'm definitely gonna try again soon, and hopefully this time I'll have more luck.

[Leo]

Diblycondyla is harder than bulldog ants...

[NickAnter]

Hypoponera opacior or Cardiocondyla species. I have caught many queens, and no matter what I do, they never lay.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Hypoponera opacior or Cardiocondyla species. I have caught many queens, and no matter what I do, they never lay.

I tried Hypoponera opacior once, and she died two days ago after I had owned her for about a month.

[ponerinecat]

Hypoponera opacior are relatively easy, just not good if trying out single alate queens.

[Wa.Va]

I'm not going to say its a difficult species to keep, but in my experience, of all the species i have. My Messor Barbarus is the slowest and smallest. Yet one of the og colonies here. Because i saw that my first colony of Messor wasn't doing great.(4th year=40workers..) I add a second colony to the flog. But both are really small and slow. While my other species are exploding.

Edited by Wa.Va, September 25 2019 - 1:02 AM.

[VenomousBeast]

Without a doubt in my mind, Stigmatomma pallipes!! Now, if you can find a whole colony and know how to care for it, keep humidity up, feed centipedes daily, then wait almost a year for brood to become workers. They are NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE to raise from just a queen. 

[Canadian anter]

Very unorthodox opinion considering I've raised both Stigmatomma and Acanthomyops Lasius, but to me the hardest ants are always Formica. It's easy to get them to the second or even third generation, but my queens end up not laying eggs at all sometime into their lives.

BTW Stigmatomma do really well on the brood if other ants and eating mealmoth larvae.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I would say Camponotus. The thing is, they aren't hard in the satisfying, fulfilling way. They just die randomly, regardless of your skill level.

[Vendayn]

Acromyrmex versicolor. No more words needed for that species lol

 

Solenopsis invicta because they grow insanely fast (100,000 estimate ants in only 6 months from 1 queen and 100-200 workers)

 

Hardest ant to find is Pseudomyrmex. I'm positive they are a myth and not actually found in California.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Acromyrmex versicolor. No more words needed for that species lol

 

Solenopsis invicta because they grow insanely fast (100,000 estimate ants in only 6 months from 1 queen and 100-200 workers)

 

Hardest ant to find is Pseudomyrmex. I'm positive they are a myth and not actually found in California.

Pseudomyrmex are locally common, meaning they're found in some areas but not others. It's like with me finding Pogonomyrmex badius and Camponotus socius. I know they live in SC, but they're only found in sandhills regions, which I'm never in. Just don't give up and keep looking.

[PurdueEntomology]

Wow, lots of variation here.  As for Hypoponera I just have a collembola colony going and feed them from them or just let the collembola live with them in their container and they do fine.  I would say the most difficult has been Discothyrea testacea as I have found that they do not take other ant eggs save maybe those of Pheidole but most likely they feed on millipede eggs and I have not been able to find any even in the lab of the professor who rears them, upshot, I would say avoid this species until we know more about getting them food, if you can find a colony that is.  I would encourage to try any Proceratium spp. as they readily take the fresh eggs of the American House Spider, which are abundant and the best thing to do is collect a few gravid (fat) females of the spider and keep them until they make an egg sack, and after it is completed use those fresh eggs to feed them, it works quite well.  

[FeedTheAnts]

I've not had much luck with any Camponotus. Camponotus castaneus seems to be the most difficult for me to keep alive, along with any species in the Myrmentoma subgenus. You didn't ask, but on the flip side the easiest ants I've kept are probably Cremaogaster. They thrive no matter what.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I've not had much luck with any Camponotus. Camponotus castaneus seems to be the most difficult for me to keep alive, along with any species in the Myrmentoma subgenus. You didn't ask, but on the flip side the easiest ants I've kept are probably Cremaogaster. They thrive no matter what.

Does anyone have a creamatogastor magnet?

[FeedTheAnts]

 

I've not had much luck with any Camponotus. Camponotus castaneus seems to be the most difficult for me to keep alive, along with any species in the Myrmentoma subgenus. You didn't ask, but on the flip side the easiest ants I've kept are probably Cremaogaster. They thrive no matter what.

Does anyone have a creamatogastor magnet?

 

Yes, me.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Nice, I am going to try to catch some native species to my area like C. Cerasi and C.  lineolata

[Mdrogun]

Nice, I am going to try to catch some native species to my area like C. Cerasi and C.  lineolata

C. cerasi and C. lineolata have already flown by me. You will probably have to wait until next year

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

 

Nice, I am going to try to catch some native species to my area like C. Cerasi and C.  lineolata

C. cerasi and C. lineolata have already flown by me. You will probably have to wait until next year

 

oof

[TennesseeAnts]

They're still flying for me.