Polyrhachis dives (was: Polyrhachis sp.)

[Asiletto]

A new queen from my last trip to Thailand, found in Wang Nam Khiao, near the Kao Yai national park.

It is a golden Polyrhachis, it could be P. dives or maybe some bigger species. I will tell you when the first worker will eclose.





Here is the queen with the first larvae, ten days ago.



The first 3 pupae have formed today. There are also (hairy) larvae of different stages of growth and some new eggs.





Being a semi-claustral species, I am feeding the queen every two days or so with honey and small mealworms or pinhead crickets.

[mattcrotermes]

Hey! I am pretty sure this Polyrhachis species is Polyrhachis dives for one being quite common in Thailand and two because of the head shape. Polyrhachis dives has a head shape similar to the head shape of Camponotus, unlike most Polyrhachis ants which has elongated head shape.

Anyway, you're doing a great job at keeping your ants, you're going to need to plan a pretty large formicarium soon because Polyrhachis dives has really big colonies, with workers numbering to 500 - 1000 when the colony has matured.

[Asiletto]

I have seen some nests of P. dives in Saraburi, not too big but fiercely difended by these ants :-) . If the colony grow past the founding stage I'll need to think a way to let these ants build their characteristic nest without hiding too much.

[Asiletto]

First worker.



It's P. dives.

[Asiletto]

Six workers and around ten big larvae. They get crazy for honey.

[deansie]

Nice journal, look forward to the updates

[Asiletto]

Changed the test tube with a clean one (maybe I am a bit too paranoid on that, but with this species is very easy to change) and opened in a small arena.

[Wood~Ant]

Did you use any special way of getting the colony to move into a clean test tube without getting rubbish from the old dirty one? 

[Asiletto]

In this period my home (and the ants closet) is quite cold, and this species really like warmth. To move the ants I connect two tubes or place two tubes in the arena, and then I place the heating cable under the new clean test tube. The ants move in 5-10 minutes to the new test tube .

[Wood~Ant]

You might find this interesting, as it shows a captive colony making a typical weaver nest as well as what problems there were with keeping this ant species. There are some good photos and video which I hope you find helpful Asiletto. Polyrachis dives captive colony

[Asiletto]

The test tube has been completely covered with silk: zero visibility.

I think there are 25 workers and about the same number of larvae/pupae.

[Asiletto]

The number of workers is growing, I've found some dead ants also. I think the high growth (and death) rate could be related to the high temperatures I'm keeping them.

I will move this colony to a slightly bigger set up (maybe a 5.8 liters braplast) where they can build their nest.

[Asiletto]

I have connected a small wood nest to the arena, and this morning some workers were already spinning silk around .

[Asiletto]

2/3 of the ants has moved into the new nest, the queen is still in the test tube. They weave a lot!