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When i placed pieces of cricket into the L. niger queens test tubes alot of the queens would rear up and bring their tails underneath as if they were spraying acid @ the prey. Is this just a defensive think, like say when a toad rears its back legs up to make itself larger?
I was told by a fellow ant keeper that L. niger workers also spray acid. I have never experienced this years as a kid picking up and playing with ants, but i have been biten a few times.
not to sound to abrupt but whoever told you that l.niger ants spray acid is wrong the only species that i know that sprays acid is formica Rufa (wood ant). this behavior could be down to different reasons, she could have just been cleaning herself or something along those lines. but i can assure you that lasius niger do not spray any form of acid.
Sithmaster676
Rufa are not the only ants to spray Formic Acid, allot of ants either Spray or Sting with it
I'm wondering what Niger's do, as i've seen them apperntly 'string' other insects when they find them, although they could just be rubbing glands on the victim which contains some chemical, cant find any info on it tho
Have a look at this page:
Wikipedia Formicinae
It says:
"Finally, all formicines have a very reduced sting and enlarged venom reservoir, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of formic acid."
which implies to me that all the formicines at least produce formic acid. Lasius Niger are in the formicinae Subfamily.
This page explicitly says:
"Lasius niger . . . is a very quick, robust and prolific ant, using formic acid and its jaws as a means of attack/defence."
They don't spray it like some Formica ants do, but they smear it onto their victims.
thought so :) the misconception about its lack of sting is only due to the fact it cannot pierce human skin with its sting so we dont feel it, i'm sure however if u thrust your hand into a fully fledged Niger nest you'd have a sore arm for a few days after lol
excellent, thats, that question answered. This would explain why @ least 8 of my queens brought their tails under their bodies and faced in the direction of the food and even touching the food with their tails
They don't sting.
Lasius niger has a strongly reduced, if not absent, stinging apparatus. They don't sting, but they sureashell can bite, although they really can't puncture human skin, at least they have never succeeded in puncturing mine.
Ants often clean their posterior gastral regions by flexing their gaster beneath the the body. Queens often remove eggs that come out of their anal cavity by mouth as well.
I was gonna ask this question myself. Ive seen it done b4 when i placed a lasius flavus ant near a lasius niger nest. I know it was mean, im ashamed :(