Dream Ant!

[calrodrigz]

My dream ant is Pogonomyrmex Barbatus. I like the way they gather seeds as well as their distinct, dark red color and large size. I haven't found any queens this year, but I'll try again in the summer.

[hyenadog]

My dream ant is Camponotus gigas hands down

I second that.

[AntsSA]

Mine would definitely have to be some species of atta or acromermex or other type of fungus grower or hairy cautious ant.

[shaky33]

Well there are actually two species that I dream about having. First off Myrmecia sp. which Is somewhat achievable and the seconds is Cephalotes sp. which because im in a whole different continent becomes quite tricky.

[Fulkol]

A leafcutter/fungus farmer one, would cover 2 areas of interests of me because I like shrooms as well

[Martialis]

To Antkeepers in the Americas:

Atta and Acromyrmex are not the only genera that cultivate fungus. In reality, they're only two of forty-six genera. Of this number, forty-five genera survive to this day. From Wikipedia:

I've bolded the extinct genus.

Acanthognathus Mayr, 1887
Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865
Allomerus Mayr, 1878
Apterostigma Mayr, 1865
Atta Fabricius, 1804
†Attaichnus Laza, 1982
Basiceros Schulz, 1906
Blepharidatta Wheeler, 1915
Cephalotes Latreille, 1802
Chimaeridris Wilson, 1989
Colobostruma Wheeler, 1927
Cyatta Sosa-Calvo et al., 2013
Cyphomyrmex Mayr, 1862
Daceton Perty, 1833
Diaphoromyrma Fernández, Delabie & Nascimento, 2009
Epopostruma Forel, 1895
Eurhopalothrix Brown & Kempf, 1961
Ishakidris Bolton, 1984
Kalathomyrmex Klingenberg & Brandão, 2009
Lachnomyrmex Wheeler, 1910
Lenomyrmex Fernández & Palacio, 1999
Mesostruma Brown, 1948
Microdaceton Santschi, 1913
Mycetagroicus Brandão & Mayhé-Nunes, 2001
Mycetarotes Emery, 1913
Mycetophylax Emery, 1913
Mycetosoritis Wheeler, 1907
Mycocepurus Forel, 1893
Myrmicocrypta Smith, 1860
Ochetomyrmex Mayr, 1878
Octostruma Forel, 1912
Orectognathus Smith, 1853
Paramycetophylax Kusnezov, 1956
Phalacromyrmex Kempf, 1960
Pheidole Westwood, 1839
Pilotrochus Brown, 1978
****** Emery, 1887
Protalaridris Brown, 1980
Pseudoatta Gallardo, 1916
Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870
Sericomyrmex Mayr, 1865
Strumigenys Smith, 1860
Talaridris Weber, 1941
Trachymyrmex Forel, 1893
Tranopelta Mayr, 1866
Wasmannia Forel, 1893

There's even a species of Trachymyrmex that extends as far north as Long Island, New York! This makes it pretty obvious that you don't have to be in the Southern US or South America to have a fungus farming species.


It is important to note that not all fungus farmers are also leafcutters.

[KingKyle26]

To Antkeepers in the Americas:

Atta and Acromyrmex are not the only genera that cultivate fungus. In reality, they're only two of forty-six genera. Of this number, forty-five genera survive to this day. From Wikipedia:

I've bolded the extinct genus.

Acanthognathus Mayr, 1887
Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865
Allomerus Mayr, 1878
Apterostigma Mayr, 1865
Atta Fabricius, 1804
†Attaichnus Laza, 1982
Basiceros Schulz, 1906
Blepharidatta Wheeler, 1915
Cephalotes Latreille, 1802
Chimaeridris Wilson, 1989
Colobostruma Wheeler, 1927
Cyatta Sosa-Calvo et al., 2013
Cyphomyrmex Mayr, 1862
Daceton Perty, 1833
Diaphoromyrma Fernández, Delabie & Nascimento, 2009
Epopostruma Forel, 1895
Eurhopalothrix Brown & Kempf, 1961
Ishakidris Bolton, 1984
Kalathomyrmex Klingenberg & Brandão, 2009
Lachnomyrmex Wheeler, 1910
Lenomyrmex Fernández & Palacio, 1999
Mesostruma Brown, 1948
Microdaceton Santschi, 1913
Mycetagroicus Brandão & Mayhé-Nunes, 2001
Mycetarotes Emery, 1913
Mycetophylax Emery, 1913
Mycetosoritis Wheeler, 1907
Mycocepurus Forel, 1893
Myrmicocrypta Smith, 1860
Ochetomyrmex Mayr, 1878
Octostruma Forel, 1912
Orectognathus Smith, 1853
Paramycetophylax Kusnezov, 1956
Phalacromyrmex Kempf, 1960
Pheidole Westwood, 1839
Pilotrochus Brown, 1978
****** Emery, 1887
Protalaridris Brown, 1980
Pseudoatta Gallardo, 1916
Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870
Sericomyrmex Mayr, 1865
Strumigenys Smith, 1860
Talaridris Weber, 1941
Trachymyrmex Forel, 1893
Tranopelta Mayr, 1866
Wasmannia Forel, 1893

There's even a species of Trachymyrmex that extends as far north as Long Island, New York! This makes it pretty obvious that you don't have to be in the Southern US or South America to have a fungus farming species.


It is important to note that not all fungus farmers are also leafcutters.

This list is a little outdated though. Not all of these genera are fungus growers. http://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?t=2404. Your list said Pheidole and that is a relative of fungus growers l, but not a fungus grower. There are likely others that don't on the list too.

[Martialis]

To Antkeepers in the Americas:

Atta and Acromyrmex are not the only genera that cultivate fungus. In reality, they're only two of forty-six genera. Of this number, forty-five genera survive to this day. From Wikipedia:

I've bolded the extinct genus.

Acanthognathus Mayr, 1887
Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865
Allomerus Mayr, 1878
Apterostigma Mayr, 1865
Atta Fabricius, 1804
†Attaichnus Laza, 1982
Basiceros Schulz, 1906
Blepharidatta Wheeler, 1915
Cephalotes Latreille, 1802
Chimaeridris Wilson, 1989
Colobostruma Wheeler, 1927
Cyatta Sosa-Calvo et al., 2013
Cyphomyrmex Mayr, 1862
Daceton Perty, 1833
Diaphoromyrma Fernández, Delabie & Nascimento, 2009
Epopostruma Forel, 1895
Eurhopalothrix Brown & Kempf, 1961
Ishakidris Bolton, 1984
Kalathomyrmex Klingenberg & Brandão, 2009
Lachnomyrmex Wheeler, 1910
Lenomyrmex Fernández & Palacio, 1999
Mesostruma Brown, 1948
Microdaceton Santschi, 1913
Mycetagroicus Brandão & Mayhé-Nunes, 2001
Mycetarotes Emery, 1913
Mycetophylax Emery, 1913
Mycetosoritis Wheeler, 1907
Mycocepurus Forel, 1893
Myrmicocrypta Smith, 1860
Ochetomyrmex Mayr, 1878
Octostruma Forel, 1912
Orectognathus Smith, 1853
Paramycetophylax Kusnezov, 1956
Phalacromyrmex Kempf, 1960
Pheidole Westwood, 1839
Pilotrochus Brown, 1978
****** Emery, 1887
Protalaridris Brown, 1980
Pseudoatta Gallardo, 1916
Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870
Sericomyrmex Mayr, 1865
Strumigenys Smith, 1860
Talaridris Weber, 1941
Trachymyrmex Forel, 1893
Tranopelta Mayr, 1866
Wasmannia Forel, 1893

There's even a species of Trachymyrmex that extends as far north as Long Island, New York! This makes it pretty obvious that you don't have to be in the Southern US or South America to have a fungus farming species.


It is important to note that not all fungus farmers are also leafcutters.

This list is a little outdated though. Not all of these genera are fungus growers. http://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?t=2404. Your list said Pheidole and that is a relative of fungus growers l, but not a fungus grower. There are likely others that don't on the list too.

Possibly. This is a list of the tribe Attini. I'll try to find a more up-to-date-one.

[Martialis]

Here's a more accurate list, this time from Antwiki:

Acromyrmex
Apterostigma
Atta
Cyatta
Cyphomyrmex
Kalathomyrmex
Mycetagroicus
Mycetarotes
Mycetophylax
Mycetosoritis
Mycocepurus
Myrmicocrypta
Paramycetophylax
Sericomyrmex
Trachymyrmex

Thanks, Kingkyle, for pointing this out.

[AntLove4Evr]

Hey guys. I would like to know what your dream ant species is. I just recently caught my dream ant, the Big Headed ant. I love them! I just think they're so interesting! So tell me what is yours!!!

If it wasn't obvious by my signature, I love Solenopsis Molesta. Thief ants look like little living drops of honey!