ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Jäger]

HI

I have been keeping various invetebrates for 12 years, but now I´m into ants. Still I´m a novice - and for that reason I need some advice.

My concerns is about what specie to choose. Lasius niger is recommended as a good beginner-ant, but I want my ants to be active all year round. I suppose that if Lasius niger don´t get their hibernation that it would stress the coloni, and finally kill the ants. But what do You think?

Then I´ve been looking at leafcutter ants, that some says is good beginner-ants as well. But it seems that they need a lot of space. But what I like about them is that they don´t need lowering of the temperature during winter. I´m confident in make terraiums that are heated and escape proof.

What small ant specie which don´t need hibernation, is suitiable for a beginner?

[Deanola]

I dont think that leaf cutters are suitable for beginners, its not so much keeping the ants alive but providing the right temperature and humidity for the fungus that they live on is critical and the fungus dies, so do the ants!.

If kept correctly most species of ants colonies are going to grow quite large, its what they do in nature.

[gonzobey]

I would recommend you to not start with Leafcutting ants. They need lot of space and difficult conditions to keep them well growing. Also you need a good basic knowledge about ants and how to keep them apropriate to the specie.

So I would recommend you to take a look into the shop and find a specie with hazard class 1. There you can find many other non-exotic species which are very interessting, e.g. Camponotus ligniperda....

If you need more advises or have other things for discussion, don´t be shy to come here again

greetings
Bianca

[Scàth-Siorrai]

I dont think that leaf cutters are suitable for beginners, its not so much keeping the ants alive but providing the right temperature and humidity for the fungus that they live on is critical and the fungus dies, so do the ants!.

If kept correctly most species of ants colonies are going to grow quite large, its what they do in nature.

actually they regulate their population in function of the available space

[Jäger]

Hi

When I look at the description of Pheidole pallidula, it says that it is suitable for beginners. And that it could be kept at room temperature, even during winter. That ant seems to be the one for me.

But You wrote that I should look for a ant with the hazard class 1, and Pheidole has hazard class 3. How come?

Regards Jãger

[jogi]

It could not exclude, that Pheidole could become a pest ant. To avoid the risks we put them in class 3. It is easy to hold them but it is very important to avoid escaping. Therefore you should have some experience. So, try Messor for example. It is not very easy, but also not to difficult. And very interesting!

[Jäger]

Hi

Okay, so that is the reason... Thank You for the answer.

Still I wonder why a beginner are only recommended european species, which requires hibernation.

Of course most of them are not so expensive, but they are inactive during serveral months every year. And furthermore, hibernation conditions are after my opinion much harder to control, than a steady temperature all year through.

So I´m back to my first question. A beginner ant, that don´t require hibernation. Which specie?

[FLechdrop]

Are there even any species who don't need to hibernate? Because my Pheidole pallidula clearly wanted to hibernate as well.

[jogi]

Hi,
you are right, often is is easier to hold uncomplicated ants from warmer regions, than european species, that need their hibernation. In many cases, we recommend that species because of the reason, that we have the season, the ants are made for. So it is easy from principle to give them the conditions they need. In most cases it is possible to keep them in the basement for the winter. For tropical ants it is not easy to get the optimal humidity especially in Winter, when the air is very dry. But many european species you can hold without hibernation! You must try it. For example Myrmica rubra doesn´t really need hibernation. And to my thinking Messor too. So try it, or get startet with Acromyrmex.
Good luck

Jogi

[Scàth-Siorrai]

all european species need hibernation except aphaenogaster senilis,if not there is a risk that the queen dies or stops lating eggs...you also shorten the life of the queen without hibernation.the colony will also grow much slower without hibernation.

[Jäger]

Hibernation is a exiting topic. And I can see that there are a lot of diffrent approaches to it.

I´ve been keeping european insects for some years now. And some of them really need hibernation, because of their life cycle. Some water bugs for an example only needs hibernation during their larvea periode, and while they are in the pupae. But as adults they can live well for years without it. Other insects has seasonal lifecycles that requires a lowering of temperature. But all of these insects are limited, because they NEED the hibernation factor to start or relay certain factors in their life cycle. There are numerous amount of insects that only do hibernate to avoid diffrent unsuitable conditions, not because they need the hibernation as a factor. Just think of the common housefly, it does not need hibernation. But it can hibernate if conditions get too extreme.

My point is that there MUST be ants that don´t need hibernation as an factor, but still is able to hibernate. I write MUST, because ants have been such a succesfull group of insects so somewhere it has too. So many other groups of insects, also long living ones, are able to hibernate when they live in cold climate. And when they live in warmer regions of the world, they don´t hibernate.

I must try it out with Myrmica rubra, when spring comes.

[Scàth-Siorrai]

the only european species that doesn't need hibernation is Aphaenogaster senilis

[Jäger]

Then I must search for information about A. senilis.

What is Your knowledge about A. senilis hibernation based on, is it litterature, the internet or experience?

Do You know any scientific research about ants and hibernation?

[Jäger]

Hi Scáth-Siorrai!

Where do You have Your information about A. senilis from. Please I would like to know!

Regards Lars

[jogi]

I keept Myrmica rubra for many years without Hibernation. So it doesn´t need it to survive. But its right, that the live of the Queen could shortend and that the colony is growthing slower. But you can keep it without hibernation.
And for example look at Formica fusca. If you have a sunny day in January (and more than 10°C) you can see them active!
So, for some species, the hibernation is more an adaptation to the bad conditions outside. I am sure, that you can keep F. fusca with a very short hibernation time or even without hibernation. But may be, the life time will be shorter.
It is not right to say, that the fact, that a ant does hibernation that it also need hibernation.