30 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

Scientific Name:  Formica subsericea

Common Name:  Field ants

Distribution:  North America in the northeast states

Queen size:  10-11 mm

Worker size:  4-6 mm

Natural Habitat: They generally build their nests against trees, under rocks, or in logs.

Circadian Activity:  Diurnal

Mating Flight:  July - August on warm days

Queen Founding Method:  Fully Claustral

Monogyne or polygyne:  Monogyne

Average time from egg to worker:  Egg to Larvae = 10-15 days; Larvae to pupae = 20-25 days, Pupae to worker = 20-25 days.

Recommended Temperature: 

Recommended Humidity:  Semi moist

Preferred Foods:  They have more of a buffet-style liking. These ants love sugar like aphid honeydew, honey, sugerwater, and ant nectar soft-bodied insects like caterpillars, and seed husks.

Hibernation Details:

Escape Barrier Methods:  I use 100-150 gauge metal mesh and Fluon.

Difficulty rating:  This is an easy species but can escape easily.

Bite and/or Sting rating:  Hardly noticeable

Special Care or Interesting Notes:  This species does have formic acid and I would use dirt and pine needles so they can make their own extra ventilation. This species is very sensitive to light and vibrations.

Additional Links:  http://www.schoolofa...rg/species/1174


Information submitted by Hunter

Edited by dspdrew, March 5 2022 - 7:13 PM.

[Connectimyrmex]

Formica subseriscea is not a slave maker.

Also, can you mention how easily stressed out it can become? I didn't know that when I had mine, and my queens ate all their brood

[Hunter]

Formica subseriscea is not a slave maker.

Also, can you mention how easily stressed out it can become? I didn't know that when I had mine, and my queens ate all their brood

omg i forgot that, and they are a semi slave maker, but are usually pray; thanks TC for putting my name in it

[Connectimyrmex]

 

Formica subseriscea is not a slave maker.

Also, can you mention how easily stressed out it can become? I didn't know that when I had mine, and my queens ate all their brood

omg i forgot that, and they are a semi slave maker, but are usually pray; thanks TC for putting my name in it

 

 

They are actually the victim of slave makers, they don't accept foreign pupae (trust me, I've tried).

[Hunter]

 

 

Formica subseriscea is not a slave maker.

Also, can you mention how easily stressed out it can become? I didn't know that when I had mine, and my queens ate all their brood

omg i forgot that, and they are a semi slave maker, but are usually pray; thanks TC for putting my name in it

 

 

They are actually the victim of slave makers, they don't accept foreign pupae (trust me, I've tried).

 

worked with mine

[Connectimyrmex]

Huh. That still doesn't make them a slave maker, though. Camponotus, Pheidole, and Lasiu accepts foreign brood rarely. 
Fully claustral ants can't be slave raiders. Ever.

[Hunter]

Huh. That still doesn't make them a slave maker, though. Camponotus, Pheidole, and Lasiu accepts foreign brood rarely. 
Fully claustral ants can't be slave raiders. Ever.

explane every other species of formica

[Connectimyrmex]

boy
The slave makers are not FULLY CLAUSTRAL. They sneak into Formica nests and BRUTALLY MURDER the queens, sucking out their abdomen fat and unlaid eggs in the process.

Even the lil newbie ants canada watcher knows that there are semi claustral, claustral, and parasitic species. PARASITIC species are SLAVE RAIDERS.

[Chicken_eater100]

boy
The slave makers are not FULLY CLAUSTRAL. They sneak into Formica nests and BRUTALLY MURDER the queens, sucking out their abdomen fat and unlaid eggs in the process.

Even the lil newbie ants canada watcher knows that there are semi claustral, claustral, and parasitic species. PARASITIC species are SLAVE RAIDERS.

ah, nature...so peaceful

[Connectimyrmex]

 

boy
The slave makers are not FULLY CLAUSTRAL. They sneak into Formica nests and BRUTALLY MURDER the queens, sucking out their abdomen fat and unlaid eggs in the process.

Even the lil newbie ants canada watcher knows that there are semi claustral, claustral, and parasitic species. PARASITIC species are SLAVE RAIDERS.

ah, nature...so peaceful

 

 

Ah, the wind, the trees, the razor fanged ant queens slaughtering old grandmother ants... WAIT WHAT
I'd like your post if I wasn't at my daily like limit.

Edited by Connectimyrmex, December 4 2017 - 5:59 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

 

 

boy
The slave makers are not FULLY CLAUSTRAL. They sneak into Formica nests and BRUTALLY MURDER the queens, sucking out their abdomen fat and unlaid eggs in the process.

Even the lil newbie ants canada watcher knows that there are semi claustral, claustral, and parasitic species. PARASITIC species are SLAVE RAIDERS.

ah, nature...so peaceful

 

 

Ah, the wind, the trees, the razor fanged ant queens slaughtering old grandmother ants... WAIT WHAT
I'd like your post if I wasn't at my daily like limit.

 

Daily like limit? How....

[TennesseeAnts]

Scientific Name: Formica subsericeaCommon Name: Field antsDistribution: North America in the northeast statesQueen size: 20mmWorker size: 14-16mmNatural Habitat: Formica subsericea generally build their nests against trees, under rocks, or in logs.Circadian Activity: DiurnalMating Flight: I find them in July to august on warm daysQueen Founding Method: Fully ClaustralMonogyne or polygyne: MonogyneAverage time from egg to worker: Egg to Larvae = 10-15 days; Larvae to pupae = 20-25 days, Pupae to worker = 20-25 days.Recommended Temperature: “summer” 70 to 80F or 21.1 to 26.7C “winter” 20 to 32F or -6.7 to 0CRecommended Humidity: semi moistPreferred Foods: they have more of a buffet-style liking. These ants love sugar like aphid honeydew, honey, sugerwater, and ant nectar soft-bodied insects like caterpillars, and seed husks.social stomach YESHibernation Details: Does this species hibernate or go through diapause? Yes, I keep mine in a refrigerator at 20 to 32F or -6.7 to 0CEscape Barrier Methods: I use 100-150 gauge metal mesh and Fluon.Difficulty rating: This is an easy species but can escape easily.Bite and/or Sting rating: Hardly noticeableSpecial Care or Interesting Notes: This species does have formic acid and I would use dirt and pine needles so they can make their own extra ventilation. This species is very sensitive to light and vibrations.Additional Links: http://www.schoolofa...rg/species/1174

Information submitted by Hunter.

20 millimeters?!?

[T.C.]

Scientific Name: Formica subsericeaCommon Name: Field antsDistribution: North America in the northeast statesQueen size: 20mmWorker size: 14-16mmNatural Habitat: Formica subsericea generally build their nests against trees, under rocks, or in logs.Circadian Activity: DiurnalMating Flight: I find them in July to august on warm daysQueen Founding Method: Fully ClaustralMonogyne or polygyne: MonogyneAverage time from egg to worker: Egg to Larvae = 10-15 days; Larvae to pupae = 20-25 days, Pupae to worker = 20-25 days.Recommended Temperature: “summer” 70 to 80F or 21.1 to 26.7C “winter” 20 to 32F or -6.7 to 0CRecommended Humidity: semi moistPreferred Foods: they have more of a buffet-style liking. These ants love sugar like aphid honeydew, honey, sugerwater, and ant nectar soft-bodied insects like caterpillars, and seed husks.social stomach YESHibernation Details: Does this species hibernate or go through diapause? Yes, I keep mine in a refrigerator at 20 to 32F or -6.7 to 0CEscape Barrier Methods: I use 100-150 gauge metal mesh and Fluon.Difficulty rating: This is an easy species but can escape easily.Bite and/or Sting rating: Hardly noticeableSpecial Care or Interesting Notes: This species does have formic acid and I would use dirt and pine needles so they can make their own extra ventilation. This species is very sensitive to light and vibrations.Additional Links: http://www.schoolofa...rg/species/1174

Information submitted by Hunter.

20 millimeters?!?

Thanks for pointing that out. Not sure how that got by me. I will have to fix that.

[TennesseeAnts]

I was like, how does any ant (especially formica) get that big?

[Hunter]

well i feel retarded did i really put 20 millimeters, i think i messed my camp pennsylvanicus and formica data sheets

Edited by Hunter, December 5 2017 - 5:24 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Scientific Name: Formica subsericeaCommon Name: Field antsDistribution: North America in the northeast statesQueen size: 10-11 mmWorker size: 4-6mmNatural Habitat: Formica subsericea generally build their nests against trees, under rocks, or in logs.Circadian Activity: DiurnalMating Flight: I find them in July to august on warm daysQueen Founding Method: Fully ClaustralMonogyne or polygyne: MonogyneAverage time from egg to worker: Egg to Larvae = 10-15 days; Larvae to pupae = 20-25 days, Pupae to worker = 20-25 days.Recommended Temperature: “summer” 70 to 80F or 21.1 to 26.7C “winter” 20 to 32F or -6.7 to 0CRecommended Humidity: semi moistPreferred Foods: they have more of a buffet-style liking. These ants love sugar like aphid honeydew, honey, sugerwater, and ant nectar soft-bodied insects like caterpillars, and seed husks.social stomach YESHibernation Details: Does this species hibernate or go through diapause? Yes, I keep mine in a refrigerator at 20 to 32F or -6.7 to 0CEscape Barrier Methods: I use 100-150 gauge metal mesh and Fluon.Difficulty rating: This is an easy species but can escape easily.Bite and/or Sting rating: Hardly noticeableSpecial Care or Interesting Notes: This species does have formic acid and I would use dirt and pine needles so they can make their own extra ventilation. This species is very sensitive to light and vibrations.Additional Links: http://www.schoolofa...rg/species/1174

Information submitted by Hunter.

that's better!

[Connectimyrmex]

 

 

 

boy
The slave makers are not FULLY CLAUSTRAL. They sneak into Formica nests and BRUTALLY MURDER the queens, sucking out their abdomen fat and unlaid eggs in the process.

Even the lil newbie ants canada watcher knows that there are semi claustral, claustral, and parasitic species. PARASITIC species are SLAVE RAIDERS.

ah, nature...so peaceful

 

 

Ah, the wind, the trees, the razor fanged ant queens slaughtering old grandmother ants... WAIT WHAT
I'd like your post if I wasn't at my daily like limit.

 

Daily like limit? How....

 

There's this limit for your daily likes. Maybe I only reach it because I try to like every slightly interesting post I see.

Edited by Connectimyrmex, December 11 2017 - 12:15 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

 

 

Formica subseriscea is not a slave maker.

Also, can you mention how easily stressed out it can become? I didn't know that when I had mine, and my queens ate all their brood

omg i forgot that, and they are a semi slave maker, but are usually pray; thanks TC for putting my name in it

 

 

They are actually the victim of slave makers, they don't accept foreign pupae (trust me, I've tried).

 

Mine readily took two Formica pacifica pupae from my large colony.

[Connectimyrmex]

that's pretty cool! Let me know how it turns out.

 

That still doesn't mean that subseriscea is a slave raider.

[LC3]

I think all or most Formica tend to readily accept pupae from different members of their genera.