Description
This is a spectacular and claustral ant species. They weave their nests at ground level from a fabric-like material secreted by their larvae. They carry the larvae in their mandibles and use them as tools to build their habitat. They utilize all kinds of building materials they can find, such as leaves, soil particles, or any other available objects to build their nest. Incomparable cooperation can be observed among the aggressive, territorial workers during nest building and hunting as well. They neutralize their prey with their strong mandibles and formic acid. This resourceful species has 8 mm-long black workers that are excellent climbers and cover a large area while foraging. They consume any food they find, at ground level, on plants, or in trees.
This species is monogynous (single-queen) and establishes colonies of only a few hundred workers, making it ideal for keeping because they won’t outgrow their space. You can speed up their reproduction by heating them with a heat pad, heating cable, or lamp. Typically, they prefer to nest in warmer spots. They usually nest at ground level in the wild, with heating, they can be encouraged to move to the canopy level in a formicarium (for example, on a dead bonsai tree). The only drawback is the queen’s short lifespan, which is typically around 2.5-5 years in captivity. However, after about 1-1.5 years, they can reach a few hundred workers. They are skillful and can solve most problems on their own, so we recommend this ant species even for beginners, but only in smaller colonies. At this stage, they can be immediately introduced into a setup with an open test tube in an equipped terrarium. However, attention must be paid to escape prevention! Starting with a queen or just a few workers is recommended only for more experienced keepers!
Feeding: Honey and insects.
Reproduction: Initially, the colony grows slowly, and due to its large size, it requires a lot of patience and care. However, a mature colony consists of only a few hundred workers.
Hibernation: A tropical ant species that does not require hibernation.
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