Occultus's Diacamma scalpratum - The Giant Ponerine Ant
Apr 22, 2016 23:08:54 GMT
Jenny, shane, and 2 more like this
Post by occultus on Apr 22, 2016 23:08:54 GMT
Taxonomy:
- Family: Formicidae
- Subfamily: Ponerinae
-Tribe: Ponerini
- Genus: Diacamma
- Species: Diacamma scalpratum
Origin: Southeast Asia
Features: This species doesnt have a Queen. They have a Gamergate worker.
Hibernation: No
Appearance of the workers: colour: Black, 1.5cm long but look 2cm when in their natural stance.
Nest building:
Nutrition: Honey-/Sugarwater, insects, likes ripe fruits
Temperature: Arena: 21 - 30°C Nestpart: 24 - 28°C
Humidity: 50 - 80% (tropical climate)
Description:
Diacamma scalpratum are a very strong and aggressive Diacamma species. They need a high amount of proteins for their brood. Insect are paralyzed and killed with their effective stinger. The workers hunt solitary away from the nest.
I caught workers of Diacamma scalpratum on Koh Rong Samloem 15/03/16.
The colony was inside a plant pot that was laying on its side with a dead palm plant. I discovered the nest when I accidentally stepped on a worker. The worker flipped over on its back and pushed its stinger into my foot. The pain felt like hot glass and it lasted for 20 minutes. The worker was unharmed and merrily walked back to its colony that was right next to my beach hut. I decided to collect as many of the workers as I could because later that day someone was coming to throw away the dead old plant(colony included).
The tasks was far more difficult than what I had initially thought, I collected as many workers as I could before the ants scared me away.
The ants have been great entertainment so far. They attack everything that I place in their outworld including my hand and tweezers.
Today I noticed workers carrying eggs! This has given me hope that this colony may still contain the Gamergate. The eggs could all just be males but I would still want to share my experiences with everyone.
They are currently being housed inside an acrylic anthouse nest. If the eggs grow into workers, this will reveal the gamergates presence and they shall have a VIP nest upgrade.
20160421_231305 by che hawkins, on Flickr
20160420_230218 by che hawkins, on Flickr
- Family: Formicidae
- Subfamily: Ponerinae
-Tribe: Ponerini
- Genus: Diacamma
- Species: Diacamma scalpratum
Origin: Southeast Asia
Features: This species doesnt have a Queen. They have a Gamergate worker.
Hibernation: No
Appearance of the workers: colour: Black, 1.5cm long but look 2cm when in their natural stance.
Nest building:
Nutrition: Honey-/Sugarwater, insects, likes ripe fruits
Temperature: Arena: 21 - 30°C Nestpart: 24 - 28°C
Humidity: 50 - 80% (tropical climate)
Description:
Diacamma scalpratum are a very strong and aggressive Diacamma species. They need a high amount of proteins for their brood. Insect are paralyzed and killed with their effective stinger. The workers hunt solitary away from the nest.
I caught workers of Diacamma scalpratum on Koh Rong Samloem 15/03/16.
The colony was inside a plant pot that was laying on its side with a dead palm plant. I discovered the nest when I accidentally stepped on a worker. The worker flipped over on its back and pushed its stinger into my foot. The pain felt like hot glass and it lasted for 20 minutes. The worker was unharmed and merrily walked back to its colony that was right next to my beach hut. I decided to collect as many of the workers as I could because later that day someone was coming to throw away the dead old plant(colony included).
The tasks was far more difficult than what I had initially thought, I collected as many workers as I could before the ants scared me away.
The ants have been great entertainment so far. They attack everything that I place in their outworld including my hand and tweezers.
Today I noticed workers carrying eggs! This has given me hope that this colony may still contain the Gamergate. The eggs could all just be males but I would still want to share my experiences with everyone.
They are currently being housed inside an acrylic anthouse nest. If the eggs grow into workers, this will reveal the gamergates presence and they shall have a VIP nest upgrade.
20160421_231305 by che hawkins, on Flickr20160420_230218 by che hawkins, on Flickr
