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They are nesting in my garage wood so I'm pretty sure their Camponotus. And Camponotus herculeanus looks the most like my ants. Also, Camponotus herculeanus can have bright red thoraxes as well.Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 2:55 pmWhat are you feeding the Ponera?
Also, bright red head? That doesn't sound like C. herculeanus. Maybe you should do an ID request.
I fed them a meal worm last week, since I heard they only eat soft bodied insects. I fed them honey before that, yet it was gone the next time I checked them. I think it probably is evaporated.Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 2:55 pmWhat are you feeding the Ponera?
Also, bright red head? That doesn't sound like C. herculeanus. Maybe you should do an ID request.
I thought that too, yet I haven't found any Formica species in SD that have red heads and are polymorphic. Besides, that queen just had that "Camponotus" look.Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 9:38 pmMealworms kind of have a hard carapace, and better suited to ants that can drag it back or who have good social stomachs. Drosophila flies are probably a better fit for them.
As for your Camponotus, C. herculeanus always has a dark head, so it might be Formica. Many ants nest in wood besides Camponotus.
If it was Formica, I'd say it is most likely Formica ulkei, yet these ants just look too "oval" to be Formica. To me, Camponotus look more oval, and Formica look more circular.Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 9:38 pmMealworms kind of have a hard carapace, and better suited to ants that can drag it back or who have good social stomachs. Drosophila flies are probably a better fit for them.
As for your Camponotus, C. herculeanus always has a dark head, so it might be Formica. Many ants nest in wood besides Camponotus.
You're right. They didn't accept it. So I fed them a wax worm, which my Lasius niger colony seemed to enjoy, and hemolymph (if that's what wax worms have for blood) came spilling out when I cut it in half. Wax worms have a very soft exoskeleton compared to meal worms, so do you think they'll eat that?Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 9:38 pmMealworms kind of have a hard carapace, and better suited to ants that can drag it back or who have good social stomachs. Drosophila flies are probably a better fit for them.
They might, but I really stand by offering small insects to small ants. Even though moth larvae have softer exoskeletons, they're still pretty tough and rubbery for a tiny Ponera. The natural food of Ponera are tiny springtails and the likes. I maintain that fruit flies are the best commercially available food for small ants and young colonies.AntsDakota wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:14 pmYou're right. They didn't accept it. So I fed them a wax worm, which my Lasius niger colony seemed to enjoy, and hemolymph (if that's what wax worms have for blood) came spilling out when I cut it in half. Wax worms have a very soft exoskeleton compared to meal worms, so do you think they'll eat that?
I have plenty of springtails around, so could I feed them that? I don't have very many fruit flies on hand.Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:24 pmThey might, but I really stand by offering small insects to small ants. Even though moth larvae have softer exoskeletons, they're still pretty tough and rubbery for a tiny Ponera. The natural food of Ponera are tiny springtails and the likes. I maintain that fruit flies are the best commercially available food for small ants and young colonies.AntsDakota wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:14 pmYou're right. They didn't accept it. So I fed them a wax worm, which my Lasius niger colony seemed to enjoy, and hemolymph (if that's what wax worms have for blood) came spilling out when I cut it in half. Wax worms have a very soft exoskeleton compared to meal worms, so do you think they'll eat that?