ANTSTORE World of Ants

[JimmyVe]

How many ants do there live in a colony ?
I now it depends on the species but isn't there a database somewhere (on the net) from each species ?

[SimGee]

guess not

cause it differs a much from species to species and it depends on circumstances like food etc.

i´m not sure if anyone did count a colony with more than 1.000 "individuals". I could read that a Diacamma spec. colony has "only" up to 200 individuals, a Camponotus herculeanus colony has more than 1.000 who can count such a bulk... i think that´s the problem.

[SimGee]

but i just see, perhaps u´ll find information here : Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar

at least this one is in english ...

Greetings
Simon

[JimmyVe]

I'm not looking for exact numbers just to have an idea, like you sad a colony Lasius niger has a few thousand ants but a colony Diacamma sp. only a few hundred.

I know that site, but there is not a real database on it.
Thanks for helping my look.

[SimGee]

there is an ant database here at the Antstore: http://www.antstore.net/antdb.php

finding the right species won´t be a prob i guess, just click "details" and search for "Volksstärke"... that sometimes will give a hint.

I dunno if it shall be slang like u say "now" but for common it´s written "know"

Cu
Simon

[JimmyVe]

I dunno if it shall be slang like u say "now" but for common it´s written "know"

I already corrected myself.

Yes i was looking at the database here on the site but there are not many species where it is filled in.

There should be a database in the book "The Ants", from some species, but i don't have that book.

[mpir]

@JimmyVe

I have the book. I haven´t really noticed this kind of information in there before. But if you can tell me for which species or family do you want to know, I´ll have a look.

[JimmyVe]

From all species i have. (and more if possible)

Lasius niger
Lasius flavus
Formica fusca
Formica cunicularia
Myrmica rubra
Messor barbarus
Pheidole pallidula
Acromyrmec sp.
Camponotus substitutus
Camponotus blandus sp.
Camponotus sp.
Ectatomma ruidum
Pheidologeton diversus

I'm not sure they are in the book (like i sad, i don't have it ) but someone on another forum told me. (he didn't had to book nether but he knew there wash a database in. )

[mpir]

Hi JimmyVe

I found the table in the book. It is on 5 pages and far from perfect. I guess it's purpos was not to give the exact data but just the idea. Numbers of adult ants in a colony is sometimes based on only ONE colony cenzus. Of course not all species are there. I looked for the species you listed... here is what I found.

Lasius niger ... no data
Lasius flavus ... no data
Formica fusca ... no data (F.rufa... up to 100 000)
Formica cunicularia ... no data
Myrmica rubra ... no data (M. ruginodis...avarage 1216, 12 colony cenzus)
Messor barbarus ... no data
Pheidole pallidula... no data (P.sp... 150, 1 colony cenzus, Borneo)
Acromyrmec sp. ... no data
Camponotus substitutus ... no data (6 other C... from 300 to 13000)
Camponotus blandus sp. ... no data
Camponotus sp.
Ectatomma ruidum ... no data
Pheidologeton diversus ... no data (P. sp. ... up to 3000,1colony cenzus, New Guinea)

Like I said... the table is far from perfect... If the book wasn't so big and heavy I would take it to work and scan it for you.

[JimmyVe]

Thanks for looking mpir.

Indeed for from perfect. My colony Pheidole pallidula already has several hundred workers (just a guess) if i feed them there are like a hundred workers coming to get food and only 1/3 of the colony normally does that so i guess about 300 workers now.
But thanks for looking. I hope i can find some 'exact' numbers somewhere.

Greetings