Green-head ants (Rhytidoponera metallica)

[baudymaudy]

Hiya guys!

I'm a beginning ant-keeper from Australia and wanted to get some advice/information that anyone might have for keeping the above species ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-head_ant ). From what I understand of the species, all the female workers are gamergates, which means they can all reproduce with winged males. So how does this effect starting a colony in a formicarium?

Should I still attempt to collect queens during their nuptial flights as I do with other species, or is there a better way to go about it? Should I attempt to find female worker (the gamergates) that have mated and establish a colony from there?

Any advice would be awesome!

[Martialis]

Hiya guys!

I'm a beginning ant-keeper from Australia and wanted to get some advice/information that anyone might have for keeping the above species ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-head_ant ). From what I understand of the species, all the female workers are gamergates, which means they can all reproduce with winged males. So how does this effect starting a colony in a formicarium?

Should I still attempt to collect queens during their nuptial flights as I do with other species, or is there a better way to go about it? Should I attempt to find female worker (the gamergates) that have mated and establish a colony from there?

Any advice would be awesome!

I'd do it. From what I've read, gamergates only reproduce if the queen dies.

[Aussie]

I know this is a little old but I really want to start a colony of these and there are many around my house so I did a bit of research and found out the same thing.

I also read that queens are extremely rare and becoming more rare each year, apparently most colonies in the wild are actually queen less!

However I think I may have gotten lucky and found a queen or a mated worker as it was alone and attempting to burrow itself into a small crevice.

Does anyone here have experience keeping these ants or any similar species?

[JackPayne]

Hi, sorry for bringing up an old topic, but howd the possible queen go? And does anyone have any tips on Green headed ants? Mainly when the rough estimates for their nuptial flights are?

Thanks.

[pro6148912]

Hiya guys!

I'm a beginning ant-keeper from Australia and wanted to get some advice/information that anyone might have for keeping the above species ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-head_ant ). From what I understand of the species, all the female workers are gamergates, which means they can all reproduce with winged males. So how does this effect starting a colony in a formicarium?

Should I still attempt to collect queens during their nuptial flights as I do with other species, or is there a better way to go about it? Should I attempt to find female worker (the gamergates) that have mated and establish a colony from there?

Any advice would be awesome!
[/I own 12 colonies of the Australian green headed ants and 2 of them are gamergate colonies. I have also been keeping this species for over 8 years now and I have some advice for you. I recommend catching a queen (who comes out at night) and brood boosting or catching multiple queens (they are polygyne ants) and catching some of the workers somewhere in that area as they won't attack other members of other colonies. If you do find a male ant, I recommend catching a whole bunch of worker, each from different areas.
Some advice from
- Auckland university teacher :
Hajime Onodera ]