16 replies to this topic

[Chickalo]

Hello ant people,

 

I plan on making some wood formicariums, and I was wondering what species can chew through wood?  (I figured the list would be smaller than the ones that cannot).  Obviously Camponotus is a given.  Also, is there anything I can do to make it harder for them to chew through?  Also anything that assures mold won't show up for a long time.  Thanks for taking the time to anwser (maybe).

If it's a long list just tell me (that's why I put genera, not just species), but I just want a basic idea of what species can and cannot chew wood.  Also I live in Massachusetts so it doesn't need to be a world wide list lol.

 

From,

Someone who's name is Chickalo

[Kaelwizard]

Crematogaster are also wood dwelling. Formica and Aphaenogaster will make nests under bark (the latter mainly) or in *rotten* wood.

 

Actually not really rotten, just really soft (probably from being soaked by rain)

Edited by Kaelwizard, March 10 2021 - 9:42 AM.

[Manitobant]

A list of NA ants that can chew through wood:

Camponotus (duh, obviously)
Colobopsis
Crematogaster
Rufa group formica
Liometopum
Pseudomyrmex (actually do great in wood nests however)
Solenopsis (don’t tell me invicta can’t chew through it, they can chew through pretty much everything)
Possibly tetramorium immigrans

[Kaelwizard]

A list of NA ants that can chew through wood:

Camponotus (duh, obviously)
Colobopsis
Crematogaster
Rufa group formica
Liometopum
Pseudomyrmex (actually do great in wood nests however)
Solenopsis (don’t tell me invicta can’t chew through it, they can chew through pretty much everything)
Possibly tetramorium immigrans

I have found fusca group in wood.

[NickAnter]

Some Temnothorax species can probably chew through wood. Mine can only chew through it *extremely* slowly, however, so not a huge issue in most cases.

[ANTdrew]

T. immigrans is a definite.

[AleeGuy]

A list of NA ants that can chew through wood:
Camponotus (duh, obviously)
Colobopsis
Crematogaster
Rufa group formica
Liometopum
Pseudomyrmex (actually do great in wood nests however)
Solenopsis (don’t tell me invicta can’t chew through it, they can chew through pretty much everything)
Possibly tetramorium immigrans

I've caught wood nesting aphaenogaster(fulva) so they should be able to chew through wood too, not sure about hard types of wood but they do in softer/rotten.

[Antcatcherpro3]

I have also caught wood nesting aphaenogaster.

[Antcatcherpro3]

I have made wood formicariums before and I've nested formica in them, and carpentar ants tho. They didn't seem like the wanted to chew throught the wood at all.

[antsandmore]

Crematogaster are also wood dwelling. Formic and Aphaenogaster will make nests under bark (the latter mainly) or in *rotten* wood.

Interesting. I may try that sometime, because they're going to need a bigger formicarium soon.

[Antcatcherpro3]

Stricky ants, sure I'll post some pics of the wood formicariums.

They really work. And in mine you can take the lid off of them incase your ants die or there is mold, but they never ended up molding.

[Antcatcherpro3]

Pls don't judge any of these.

They have worked pretty well with all of my colonys. I upload better pics tommorow. It is dark right now.

[Kaelwizard]

Those are pretty good, honestly.

[Antcatcherpro3]

Thanks. They are meant to connect to an outworld with tubes.

And there are different sizes for different ants.

[AntBoi3030]

they won't if the wood is rotten,if it is and they need more space or it is too humid they will attempt to bore out of it (any woo nesting sp)

[Kaelwizard]

they won't if the wood is rotten,if it is and they need more space or it is too humid they will attempt to bore out of it (any woo nesting sp)

This is an old post and most wood nesting species in the US nest in rotten or water damaged wood, not healthy dry wood. (Except Crematogaster, they like it dry)

Edited by Kaelwizard, May 8 2021 - 11:50 AM.