ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Azzer]

Every couple of days, I spot one of my Myrmica rubra* ants being mobbed by other ants in the colony. I only notice this happening in the basin (the nest is usually covered).

This is not the "social carrying" that I have seen before... nor is it merely a "vigorous cleaning". This is one ant attacking another - gripping on to the 'antennae', legs, body... and eventually (sometimes after a few hours of the attacker dragging the victim around, picking her up etc.) leads to the death of the victim.

The victim never fights back - instead it is constantly just trying to "walk away".

Today there were three ants on one... they had the 'victim' by the body, a leg, and an antennae. About two hours later, I saw this victim minus one antennae and minus about 4 legs, still alive, being dragged back and forward by 1 ant, lifted up by it's body repeatedly etc.

It was dead after about another hour.

The past two weeks I have probably removed a total of about 20 dead ants from the basin, and a large number (the majority) of these I am positive have been a result of this "inner fighting".

Can anyone shed any light on this? Does it only happen under certain conditions? Am I not providing something? Is this simply common behaviour in a large Myrmica rubra* colony? Why does the 'victim' never seem to fight back, just constantly try to walk away?

Any theories, or more importantly, solid factual answers, will be appreciated, thank you!

*correctur Uta

[Skippy]

I have one theory of that ,I also sometimes see this situation in my nests.

I think ,you have big population of workers in nest and you getting small part of food for all ,or they have small place for all workers ,queens ,larvae and pupae. First theory is more to be able. They kill one - a few ill/old workers to get more food for make new workers. If is my theory right ,I think ,try to getting more food ,look on humidity if is big (Myrmica rubra need big humidity) and if it´ll not better after some weeks ,I dont know.
My Camponotus sp. killing some old workers now ,because they have small formicarium and I must to build new ,bigger.

Sorry for bad English ,I think you´ll understand what I mean

Skippy

[JimmyVe]

that is a new fact to me Azzer. I never saw anything like that in my Myrmica rubra colony (and this one is rather big). In fact i never see it in any of my colonies. Maybe Skippy is wright, they have not enough food ore not enough space, but i don't think it is the last one because they are in a rather big nest.

[Azzer]

Hmmm maybe I should really start stockpiling them with food, but they get a few waxworms, moths, breadcrumbs, fruit etc. changed every couple of days... but they never seem to eat it all (which indicates they are getting enough?). I'm confused. What foods do you find reliable with your own Myrmica Rubra? See if I can get any inspiration for other things to try (fresh insects aside).

As for moisture... I can try carving the "leg" of the ytong a bit more so it is longer, and sit it in to a deeper tub of water, so more moisture is reaching the nest... if moisture is a possibility.

They get fresh sugar water (& honey water, interchangably) every couple of days, in the small "bird feeder" which has cotton wool packed in to the bottom. I don't think this kind of water/sugar (carbohydrates) is lacking.

Any other ideas/theories/things to try are more than welcome. Cheers!

[miszt]

i'd give them honey constantly, i make sure my ants always have a drop to top up their energy, i dont use sugar water at all, just a test tube of fresh water, i guess it may be that if ur nest is not damp enough they are not getting enough water except from the sugar water, unfortunetly sugar dehydrates ants very quickly, so if there only source of water is mixed with sugar it could be a problem...just guessing tho

[Azzer]

Ok managed to (without disturbing them much at all) raise the YTong on some blocks, and with a bit of time and awkward positions, carved a bit more depth to get a deeper tub underneath the ytong. The water level of the tub the "leg" sits in is now only about 1.5 inches worth of Ytong from where the ants are, as opposed to about 3-3.5 inches before... should allow for a lot more water to soak up in to the nest where the ants are.

So that's a big moisture improvement attempted... now it's just on to any other food suggestions people have, things they have success feeding ants as additives to fresh insects, and I'll try really stockpiling them with food for a while. Just put a bit of "wet catfood" in for them for the first time to try (my cats hate wet catfood, somebody gave a few sachets to us... my cats only eat dry cat biscuits )... will see if they are at all interested in that.

[nepenthes_ak]

Are Foreign M. rubra getting in? Ive had this happen with a Tetramorium colony.

[Azzer]

No, not at all... only have one colony set up in this whole room, and the only other specis of ant I keep are Lasius niger. Tis still a bit of a mystery.

[JimmyVe]

Maybe (like miszt said) you need to try giving them honey and water separated. I must say it is a bit of mystery for me to.

[Kiam]

Or maybe the worker there killing could have some sort off disease that can catch on the other ants so they kill him?