ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Wildbird]

Hi All

Today I ordered some Camponotus ligniperda ants from Antstore, thanks to all the helpfull post I also got tree bark for a nest, they will eat necter and insects but there is a phrase I did not understand on the ant database so I did a google and got nothing back

what does Trophobiotic mean? is there somthing special I need to do for them.

I also bought a new tank for them and I am looking forward to seeing them in the tank I got 11 to 25 workers so they should be off to a flying start
i'll post pics as soon as I set up the tank. If you have any other advice that will help her settle in please feel free to post them as they are all welcome

One more thing theese are a lot bigger than my L/Niger colony, will they bite??

thanks

Paul

[KiamCameron]

I can answer some of these questions Yes the 1st generation of ligniperda workers are three times the size of a worker in lasius niger or so and the queen is around 3x bigger than lasius niger And I think they bite and then inject some venom which makes it hurt Although ive never been bitten or stung by mine..

[Phasmid]

I wouldn't worry about them biting you. In my colony I have yet to find a major than can even scratch the skin, though it can provide an uncomfortable pinch between the fingers.

[miszt]

Trophobiotic symbosis is a relationship between two diffrent species, I suspect that it is referring to Aphids, many ants keep farms of Aphids which they milk for nectar, in return they protect the aphids from preditors Camponotus lig live in forests, and so would get most of their nectar from Aphids

(interestingly, this is why Wood Ants (Formica rufa etc) are dying out in the UK, the wrong kinds of trees are being replanted in forests we have cut down, add to that our pollution = very few aphids for them to farm)