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SteveUK28: Really Very Strange Question??? (22. Apr 2009 16:33)

Ok then.. here we go.. Is it possible for a Camponotus substitutus worker to be adopted by a Cremtogaster colony :?:

Only reason i am asking is cos a Camponotus substituts working of mine has got into the ytong of my Crematogaster and has been in there now for almost a week.. and i know its been out since cos i saw it on a lump of sugar yesterday.. and when i went to grab it, it did a runner back into the nest.. and the Crematogaster workers just seem to completely ignore it... Its the strangest thing ive ever seen with my ants. :shock:

donpate: Re: Really Very Strange Question??? (22. Apr 2009 16:42)

The opposite i could accept, because of the difference in size of the different kind.
I think sometimes greater kinds will ignore smaller ants....but in your case i find it also very strange.

Messorus: Re: Really Very Strange Question??? (22. Apr 2009 17:28)

Hello
As Donpate said, the difference is in the size... But also in the pheromone scent, it´s more possible that Crematogaster will eat the puppae than they will accept it.... And also, with logics of humans, how coud they open the cocon when the cocon is 4x bigger than normaln worker? :?

baumarkthammer: Re: Really Very Strange Question??? (22. Apr 2009 18:47)

Well I tried to put a colony of Temnothorax nylanderi which are normaly ignored by every ant but my Cremtogaster started to surround them (not that much attacking but it looked not so good) and they didn´t let a single worker pass their circle for about 2 hours, after a time i removed them.
I think that cremtogaster are one of the most agressiv species of ants.
I think you shoukd try to make some kind of experiment and try it once again and maybe take some pic´s

SteveUK28: Re: Really Very Strange Question??? (22. Apr 2009 19:22)

its still there.. never goes into the chamber with the queen and brood tho.. always just off the entrance.. it is very strange.. il takes pics tomorrow and post them up.

damondeionno: Re: Really Very Strange Question??? (23. Apr 2009 11:47)

Does it interact with the Crematogaster or do they run away when they meet? Also what sort of Crematogaster are they?

Looking forward to the pics.

JimmyVe: Re: Really Very Strange Question??? (24. Apr 2009 15:53)

I would also go for the size difference. And as you know, in the world of ants everything is possible. ;)