Lasius ants that sting

[Hunter36o]

Yup, this is still happening. Took my ants out of hibernation and when they were ready for their first protein feed (frozen crickets) they went to town on the poor, already dead cricket. Stinging or spraying like their life's depended on it. Which is not the case cos it was already dead.

I have a cheap micro lens from wish.com for my phone so I will see of I can catch them in the act.

I do have a quick question. My strong colony (in terms of numbers) is 23+ workers strong. Normally I am completely against live food being alive when I feed them to ants. Anyway I have a box full of well fed beetles and superworms. Lots of tiny babies. Now all 23 workers are still quite small and still considered nanitics by size. Would it be worth (strictly for science) putting a live baby superworm in the mix? This is something I'd normally never do but my need to discover this possibility of Lasius Nigers having a more efficient defensive ability is starting to out way my natural way of caring for these creatures.

[AntsDakota]

Yup, this is still happening. Took my ants out of hibernation and when they were ready for their first protein feed (frozen crickets) they went to town on the poor, already dead cricket. Stinging or spraying like their life's depended on it. Which is not the case cos it was already dead.

I have a cheap micro lens from wish.com for my phone so I will see of I can catch them in the act.

I do have a quick question. My strong colony (in terms of numbers) is 23+ workers strong. Normally I am completely against live food being alive when I feed them to ants. Anyway I have a box full of well fed beetles and superworms. Lots of tiny babies. Now all 23 workers are still quite small and still considered nanitics by size. Would it be worth (strictly for science) putting a live baby superworm in the mix? This is something I'd normally never do but my need to discover this possibility of Lasius Nigers having a more efficient defensive ability is starting to out way my natural way of caring for these creatures.

You could try, as Lasius normally attack earthworms. I wouldn't think superworms would be very different.

[Hunter36o]

I still do want to try it if I am honest but I am waiting for even higher numbers from the colony just to be safe and I breed the worms as a free feeder source so I am thinking of grabbing a smaller one that is pale and soft from a fresh molt.

[Antfan]

I don't think any Lasius ants can sting. I think its only for Formic acid, but don't be put off by this Lasius flavus and Lasius niger are very cool Ants to keep if you live in the UK. I have seen a little bump/spike on the abdomins of lasius niger but since ants ancestors did have stingers I think it is just left their when they evolved into the many ants we have now, it may also be used to squirt formic acid out of if they have that addaptation, personaly I have been attacked (they were defending themselves) when I have accidently rested on grass in the UK.

Also from observations, I have seen them like rub their abdomins on threats/prey but never stick it in. They usually bite their prey to death I think.

[Formicarufa]

If lasius niger can’t sting, maybe they are dabbing pheromones on the prey

I think that they have venom of some sort

They might not need to sting

Some fire ants just use their stinger to wipe venom into wounds