Ants Kalytta - News

Pachycondyla cf. verenae

2013-04-15T23:51:41+02:00

Lasiodora parahybana

2013-04-03T15:04:48+02:00

Brachypelma smithii

2013-04-03T15:07:45+02:00

Brachypelma albopilosum

2013-04-03T15:10:09+02:00

Pachycondyla analis (Megaponera foetens)

2013-05-12T21:39:31+02:00

Messor capitatus

2013-05-12T17:21:04+02:00

Camponotus sp. "Africa"

2013-05-18T12:46:00+02:00

Messor cf. wasmanni

2013-05-17T20:04:14+02:00

Messor cf. wasmanni is a Myrmicinae with minor- till major-worker with all passings. However their size is slightly smaller than for instance Messor barbarus. Great colonies carry on long "highways" their seeds into the nest. They storing the seed in different granaries and prepare in "chew-communities" the so-called ant bread especially for the colder season. They lay out an trash-accumulation.

Taxonomy: Myrmicinae
Color: black
Distribution: South Europe
Nutrition: Mostly seeds from different rampant plants (also grass), but insects and honeywater too
Temperature: 25 - 30 �C
Hibernation: Yes (slight)
Air humidity: Dry climate
Nest building: Soil nests, loam, pebbles
Planting: nothing specific
Class: easy to keep

All Messor will be included with untreated hand-picked plant seeds.

Messor sp. (Central Africa)

2013-05-18T12:36:35+02:00

Central African Messor species with extra ordinary red colored heads. This species doesn't need hibernation. They subsist on seeds, honey-/sugar water but also insects (similar to many Pheidole species). They will often nests in sand or loamy sand.

Taxonomy: Myrmicinae
Color: shinny black, red heads
Distribution: Central Africa
Nutrition: Mostly seeds from different rampant plants (also grass), but insects and honeywater too
Temperature: 25 - 35 �C
Hibernation: No
Air humidity: Dry climate
Nest building: Soil nests, loam, pebbles
Planting: nothing specific
Class: easy to keep

All Messor will be included with untreated hand-picked plant seeds.

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Messor sp. (Nothern Africa)

2013-05-18T12:55:51+02:00

Nothern African Messor species with extra ordinary red colored heads. This species doesn't need hibernation. They subsist on seeds, honey-/sugar water but also insects (similar to many Pheidole species). They often nests in sand or loamy sand.

Taxonomy: Myrmicinae
Color: black brown
Distribution: Nothern Africa
Nutrition: Mostly seeds from different rampant plants (also grass), but insects and honeywater too
Temperature: 25 - 35 �C
Hibernation: No
Air humidity: Dry climate
Nest building: Soil nests, loam, pebbles
Planting: nothing specific
Class: easy to keep

All Messor will be included with untreated hand-picked plant seeds.

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Camponotus ligniperdus

2013-05-20T13:10:49+02:00

Camponotus ligniperda is one of the biggest european ant species. Prefers sunny and dry slopes and can be found in stony ground as well as in rotten wood. Can be found in low-level as well as in mountains.

Taxonomy: Formicinae
Color: black with light red-brown abdomen
Distribution: Central Europe
Characteristics: Major- and Minor workers
Nutrition: Honey- or sugar water and insects
Hibernation: Yes
Temperature: 20 - 25 �C
Nest building: Build their nest under wood with greater underground areas; also only soil nests
Planting: Similary to the forest or mountains with branches, roots, moos
Class: easy
Specifics: Has Minor- and Major workers. Very fortified; could with one bite decapitate formica-ants. They attack humans only by nest disruption. Shows activity by day and night (diurnal and nocturnal). They build nests preferably in wood or under stones. A radiant heating should heat a stone or an angle of the formicarium in the daytime.

Camponotus maculatus

2013-05-18T12:49:13+02:00

Taxonomy: Subfamily Formicinae, Tribe Camponotini
Distribution: Central Africa
Color: small ants are yellow till brown, majors are marmorate
Nutrition: Honey- or sugar water and insects
Hibernation: No
Climate: tropical (moist)
Nest building: Soil nests, between stones
Planting: nothing specific
Level: easy
Specifics: Builds "half" calderas (one sided)

Formica (Serviformica) fusca

2013-05-18T00:21:45+02:00

Common "helping ant" (sclaves) for the predation ants e.g. Raptiformica.

Taxonomy: Subfamily Formicinae
Distribution: Europe
Characteristics: Monomorph, greater colonies polygyn
Size: 5 - 8 mm
Appearence of the queen: Colour: glossy black; a little bit smaller than Formica rufa
Appearence of the workers: Colour: glossy black; a little bit smaller than Formica rufa
Nest-building: Under rotten wood, under stones and in soil
Hibernation: Yes
Nutrition: Honeywater, insects
Temperature: Room temperature, very cold resistance
Soil conditions: Similar to the forest biotopes, brieght
Planting: Moos (optional)
Level: easy

Lasius flavus

2013-05-20T13:14:43+02:00

Lasius flavus is a quince yellow ant species which is distributed throughout Europe. This species favor sunny places and can be found in the meadow between grass stems. It is a monogyne species.

Lasius niger

2013-05-20T13:13:57+02:00

Lasius niger is a aggressive shinny black ant species which is widely distributed throughout Europe. This species favor sunny places like waysides or sunny hills. It is a monogyne species.

Taxonomy: Formicinae
Size: Workers: 3,5 - 5 mm, Queen: 8 - 9 mm
Color: shinny black
Distribution: throughout Europe
Nutrition: primary honey- or sugar water and later protein in the form of insects
Hibernation: Yes
Temperature: 20� - 25� C
Nest building: Soil nests, builds small soil based mounds between grass stems or under stones
Planting: Grass or similar (not suitable for the arena)
Class: very easy

Messor barbarus

2013-05-21T19:35:29+02:00

Messor barbarus is a Myrmicinae with minor- till major-worker with all passings. Great colonies carry on long "highways" their seeds into the nest. They storing the seed in different granaries and prepare in "chew-communities" the so-called ant bread especially for the colder season. They lay out an trash-accumulation.

Taxonomy: Myrmicinae
Color: black, sometimes red brown heads
Size: Queen 14 - 16 mm
Distribution: South Europe
Nutrition: Mostly seeds from different rampant plants (also grass), but insects and honeywater too
Temperature: 25 - 30 �C
Hibernation: Yes (slight)
Air humidity: Dry climate
Nest building: Soil nests, loam, pebbles
Planting: nothing specific
Class: easy to keep

All Messor will be included with untreated hand-picked plant seeds.

Note: Young Queens from current season do not have any offspring (Queens with offspring and/or brood are from last year), they wil lay first eggs in spring.

Formica (Raptiformica) sanguinea

2013-05-15T12:13:13+02:00

This species is very fascinating because of their "robbery of slaves". During the summer month they organize predatory attacks to the nests of their "helping ants" (Slaves) which provide for the inner household. It could be possible that the slaves also be integrate in the defence. According to the slaves they build a species-typical nest for the robber-ants. Raptiformica sanguinea could as well live without slaves contrary to the "Slave-robbers" Polyergus rufescens (protected specie). Inside the Terrarium such a predatory attack can be produced artificially by giving them cocoons of the slave-ants. So it will be possible to control the amount of different slaves.

Taxonomy: Subfamily Formicinae
Distribution: Europe
Characteristics: Monomorph
Color: red-brown, black abdomen and head
Nest-building: Ants hill like this of red wood ants
Hibernation: Yes
Nutrition: Honeywater, insects
Air humidity: dry
Temperature: Room temperature (Day: heating source)
Soil conditions: Sand, pebbles, roots, forest litter material
Planting: not necessary
Level: easy

Tapinoma erraticum

2013-05-20T13:09:09+02:00

This ant species builds small mounds of soil particles, mostly with central hollow. Their movement is very fast.

Taxonomy: Subfamily Dolichoderinae
Verbreitung: Central Europe (warm localities)
Characteristics: slightly polymorph, larger colonies are polygyn
Color: shiny black
Nest building: builds small mounds or will build soil nests (under stones)
Nutrition: Honeywater, insects (also collects other death animals)
Climate: moderate climate
Soil condition: Sand, Loam, Stones
Level: easy

Tetramorium impurum

2013-05-20T13:07:16+02:00

Tetramorium impurum is an aggressive black brown ant species. This species favor sunny and dry places and loamy ground. It can often be found in cities between pavements. It is a monogyne species which will be suppressed by Tetramorium caespitum in lowland

Taxonomy: Myrmicinae
Color: black brown
Distribution: throughout Europe
Nutrition: Honey- or sugar water, seeds and death insects
Hibernation: Yes
Temperature: 20 - 30 �C
Nest building: Soil nests, builds small soil based mounds between grass stems or under stones
Planting: any
Class: easy
Specifics: Collects various kind of seeds. Larger colonies are pugnacious