16 replies to this topic

[Doonasaur]

Hey, what would be some good starter ants that I could keep without having to make a natural formicarium. One that is slightly big, and grows fast to moderately. I live in Florida.

 

Thanks!

Edited by Doonasaur, December 14 2017 - 6:10 PM.

[T.C.]

This would depend on your location and the species locally available to you.

[MegaMyrmex]

Tetramorium is small but griws fast and is very adaptable, but they might not live in your area. Formixa is a bit larger and grow fast as well.

[Penguin]

To know what species you have in your area here's a helpful website AntMaps

[IcarusSkybound]

Camponotus sp. are pretty good to start with. They are typically large and have a large degree of polymorphism, but they do grow slow-moderately depending on conditions.

[Hunter]

we would need to know where you live for the best subjection 

[Leo]

I started off with crematogster.

[Derpy]

I suggest pheidole. Highly polymorphic and some are polygynous.

[drtrmiller]

I suggest pheidole. Highly polymorphic and some are polygynous.

Pheidole workers display dimorphism. Di- meaning two, -morph meaning forms. Therein exists the primary minor worker caste, and the big-headed major worker caste. While there are no intermediate sizes between these two castes, the majors do display some degree of variation in size:



In contrast, a truly polymorphic species would be Carebara diversa, which scales almost linearly in body shape and proportions, but ranges wildly in size:

Edited by drtrmiller, December 14 2017 - 9:13 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Then are Camponotus spp. still polymorphic? Or are they dimorphic?

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, December 14 2017 - 9:39 PM.

[KBant]

Then are Camponotus spp. still polymorphic? Or are they dimorphic?

 

 

camponotus are truly polymorphic. they have minor, median and major/super major workers.

[TennesseeAnts]

Ok, thanks! #Camponotus=lyfe

[Serafine]

Formica fusca.
Fast, curious, active during the DAY (Camponotus are mostly noctrunal), decent growth but doesn't grow to ridiculous colony sizes (usually tops out at 5-6000 workers, doesn't grow to 50000 like Lasius niger does), adaptable, durable and abundant (basically the Lasius niger of the Formica genus) and of a decent size (not just dots like Lasius or Tetramorium). Also polymorphic (but not as extreme as Camponotus).
Oh, and it can be polygynous (pretty much any number of  queens, that doesn't really change the maximum colony size though).
 

 

Edited by Serafine, December 16 2017 - 2:36 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Formica fusca are polymorphic? I know Formica Pacifica are dimorphic.

[Serafine]

Formica fusca are polymorphic?

Yes they are (as can be seen in that second picture above) but far less than Camponotus (also far less than for example Formica rufa).

[MegaMyrmex]

They are polymorphic but only by a couple millimeters.

[TennesseeAnts]

Formica obscuripes are polymorphic too. There is a huge nest of them in my yard.