Polyrhachis lamellidens is a parasitic species found in East Asia. The new queens of this species need a colony of Camponotus sp. to create a colony of itself. The queen enters the colony using a process called ‘Phermon Copying’ where the Polyrhachis queen bites on to a Camponotus worker and rubs its body, physically recieving the Phermon. The Polyrhachis queen(s), using this disguise enter the Camponotus colony and proceed to the Camponotus queen. The queens repeat the Phermon copying process on the queen, killing it. Usually many queens enter one colony as the chance of success is low. After copying the Phermon of the Camponotus queen the Polyrhachis queens act as the Camponotus queen. If accepted as queen, the Polyrhachis queens start laying eggs. In a few months, Polyrhachis workers appear in the colony. Once the majority of the Camponotus workers die off, the colony moves to a living or dead tree hole which is the natural habitat of Polyrhachis lamellidens. Even when all Camponotus workers die off, the Polyrhachis workers do not need to hunt for slaves as this species only needs Camponotus workers for colony founding.
I have caught a colony of Polyrhachis lamellidens that has finished colony founding with one queen in Angong-si, North Gyeongsang province. Which is quite rare with P. lamellidens. I am keeping the colony in this 3D printed formicarium as a temporary solution. I am planing to move them into a more nature friendly formicarium with soil and a tree with a hole for P. lamellidens to live in.
Photo 1: Current state if the P. lamellidens colony
Photo 2: Colony before being moved to formicarium
Photo 3: The P. lamellidens queen, photographed during collection
Attached Images
Edited by Korean-Ant-Keeper, July 19 2022 - 2:54 PM.
