Occultus's Polyergus rufescens - Amazon ants / Slave-raiders

[occultus]

Taxonomy:
- Family: Formicidae
- Genus: Polyergus
- Species: rufescens
- Binomial Nomenclature: Polyergus rufescens
- Common name: Amazon ants / Slave-raiders 


Origin: Western Europe to Western China
Hibernation: October-March 5 - 8°C
Appearance of the queen: 8-10mm
Appearance of the workers: 7-8mm

Foundation:Obligatory slave-maker
Food: Insects and sugar/honey water
Temperature: Arena: 18 - 28°C Nest part: 21 - 24°C
Humidity: 50 - 60%

I have been fortunate enough to obtain a colony of the fascinating Polyergus rufescens. They are slave-raider ants and have evolved to perform raids on Formica ant nests. Polyergus ants cannot feed themselves and require slave labour to survive (obligate slaver).
The colony contains 700-900 Formica fusca slaves + 100-150 Polyergus rufescens slavers.

The queen can be seen at 0:52

Polyergus rufescens colony by che hawkins, on Flickr

I'm going to require a constant supply of Formica brood for this colony. If anyone would like to donate me brood from time to time, It would be most appreciated. I will also record the Polyergus ants rushing out to collect the brood that you have sent me

[Welsh Ant]

Aren't these the ants which can't feed themselves and need slaves or they die? Good luck with getting a slave brood as you might need to buy a colony of Formica to get slave brood. Or try Dean who got F. lemani pupae for Wood Ant, as they would work.

[occultus]

May 20, 2016 8:31:31 GMT Welsh Ant said:

Aren't these the ants which can't feed themselves and need slaves or they die? Good luck with getting a slave brood as you might need to buy a colony of Formica to get slave brood. Or try Dean who got F. lemani pupae for Wood Ant, as they would work.

Yes thats right Welsh Ant. The Polyergus absolutely require slaves . I have a colony of Formica fusca arrive yesterday with 60-100 workers. I hope to recreate slave raids when the New Polyergus nest has been completed. Kalytta also offers brood for free, you just pay for postage.
Hopefully members of the community can send me brood from time to time. I'd like the colony to contain many varieties of Formica all living within the same colony.

[jeoff82]

How strange. Didn't know these existed. Why didn't they just evolve to feed themselves rather than slave raid. You could have all sorts of ants in there as one colony.

[occultus]

My Polyergus queen has stopped all egg production. The slaves are actively foraging and looking after the daily needs of the whole colony. The Polyergus workers just stay still all day getting fed by the fusca's...Lazy ants indeed. They live only to slave raid.
Hibernation must start early with this species. Next update will likely be in spring time next year.

Here is a video of the colony that was recorded last month.