27 replies to this topic

[TechAnt]

This may be a dumb question, as ants in the honeypot genus probably all have repletes, since that is what their genus is named for. But I will ask anyways, do all honeypots have repletes?

[RushmoreAnts]

To my knowledge, yes. If there are any species who didn’t, they must be pretty rare.

[TechAnt]

To my knowledge, yes. If there are any species who didn’t, they must be pretty rare.

Ah, thanks.

[ponerinecat]

Most ants have repletes actually, pretty much all formicines and dolichoderines and some myrmicines. Perhaps some ponerines as well, I'm not certain on any other subfamilies but it is likely.

[sirjordanncurtis]

Took this from antweb. Take from it what you will. It's just a hypothesis anyways. 

 

"Creighton (1950) ventured the opinion that replete production was a matter of opportunity, rather than an innate, physiological phenomenon. He further offered the idea that replete production is not a response to arid desert conditions but rather that it is the result of a previous xerophile having invaded less rigorous climes. In other words, replete production is the result of the availability of an excessive amount of nectar available in mesophytic environments."

 

The trademark honeypot repletes that you see are not filled with protein or fat but really only store sugars. Most of the species or variants that have been found to have repletes are also exclusively insectivores. Myrmecocystus is an extremely understudied genus, and from what I've read on antweb, whether honeypots make repletes is determined by the location where they were caught, as there are species of Myrmecocystus where replete production is completely absent in some locations but found in others. 

 

That being said, it seems like the honey pots which are not physiologically used to making repletes do still have some sort of capability to do so.

[TechAnt]

I was asking this cause I am thinking about getting some M. Mimicus when available, and I wanted to know if they had the repletes that make the genus famous, this was helpful.

[JenC]

In my opinion mimicus die the most.

[TechAnt]

In my opinion mimicus die the most.

Have you kept them before?

[gcsnelling]

 As mentioned there are several Myrmecocystus species for which repletes are not known, additionally protein and water filled repletes are fairly common. You do not want to taste one of the protein filled repletes.

[Kaelwizard]

As mentioned there are several Myrmecocystus species for which repletes are not known, additionally protein and water filled repletes are fairly common. You do not want to taste one of the protein filled repletes.

Why, did you?

[ANTdrew]

As mentioned there are several Myrmecocystus species for which repletes are not known, additionally protein and water filled repletes are fairly common. You do not want to taste one of the protein filled repletes.

Nah, I’m good.

[FSTP]

I have a nearly 1 year old M. mexicanus  colony and they make protein repletes. Only way I can tell that they're protein laden repletes is every time I feed blood worm soup one or two new repletes pop up filled with the black colored blood worm soup. Also, it seems whenever they are in a mode where repletes are being drained its always the bloodworm filled ones that get used first. 

[TechAnt]

As mentioned there are several Myrmecocystus species for which repletes are not known, additionally protein and water filled repletes are fairly common. You do not want to taste one of the protein filled repletes.

Wait wait, I am confused now. When saying ‘repletes are not known’ does that mean some/most don’t have the trademark sugar filled repletes?
To narrow this down, does M. Mimicus have the trademark sugary repletes and/or protein repletes?

Edited by TechAnt, June 14 2020 - 9:30 AM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Well, according to a photo in this article mimicus can have repletes?

However, I've heard some people say they don't. And apparently people can misidentify them. AND it probably varies by location and circumstance.

And honeypots apparently like to die.

In other words, you won't know for sure and may never find out. lol

https://theconversat...y-makers-102838

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, June 14 2020 - 9:59 AM.

[TechAnt]

Well, according to a photo in this article mimicus can have repletes?
However, I've heard some people say they don't. And apparently people can misidentify them. AND it probably varies by location and circumstance.
And honeypots apparently like to die.
In other words, you won't know for sure and may never find out. lol
https://theconversat...y-makers-102838

CONFUSION 100

[TechAnt]

Well uh, this thread taught me something-ish?

[sirjordanncurtis]

I was asking this cause I am thinking about getting some M. Mimicus when available, and I wanted to know if they had the repletes that make the genus famous, this was helpful.

 

Myrmecocystus mimicus as defined by Wheeler 100 years ago does make repletes. However, Myrmecocystus lomaensis, which is nearly identical to mimicus does not make repletes. In fact, I'm pretty sure the distinction between the two species was made solely on whether they could or couldn't make repletes. In 1950, it was found that some M. mimicus have exactly the same physiological differences as M. lomaensis which are supposed to distinguish M. lomaensis from M. mimicus. 

 

So... I would recommend just getting something other than mimicus

[RushmoreAnts]

Most ants have repletes actually, pretty much all formicines and dolichoderines and some myrmicines. Perhaps some ponerines as well, I'm not certain on any other subfamilies but it is likely.

My Lasius and Formica make repletes...........

Attached Images

• 

Edited by AntsDakota, June 14 2020 - 1:13 PM.

[gcsnelling]

Myrmecocystus lomaensis, is a synonym of mimicus, in other words same ant. All "not known to make repletes" means is that they have not yet been found in a nest which means the investigator/collector did not dig deep or extensively enough. Although other ants make repletes they are generally not on the scale of Myrmecocystus, semi replete is more accurate.

[TechAnt]

Do M. tenuinodis or M. testaceus have the trademark repletes? As people seem to be saying Mimicus does not.