http://www.ants-kalytta.com/feeds/articles.en.xml2010-09-10T01:58:11+02:00All articles added and modified in the last 4 months.Ants Kalyttagerhard@ants-kalytta.comhttp://www.ants-kalytta.comBenjamin Kalytta`s AtomFeedClasshttp://www.ants-kalytta.com/images/icon.pnghttp://www.ants-kalytta.com/images/logo.pnghttp://www.ants-kalytta.com/Oecophylla-smaragdina-green.html2010-09-04T22:20:41+02:002010-06-17T23:22:04+02:00<p>These specie lives in trees where they build their nests between leaves. This is the green variant from Australia. Larger colonies should be offered more than one tree. They waeve leaves at team work which will be used as homebase or louse-cultivation room. They never nests within soil, and they use their own brood (larvae) to weave.</p><ul> <li><strong>Taxonomy:</strong> Subfamily <strong>Formicinae</strong>, Tribe <strong>Oecophyllini</strong></li> <li><strong>Origin:</strong> Australia</li> <li><strong>Characteristics:</strong> minors and majors</li> <li><strong>Hibernation:</strong> No</li> <li><strong>Appearence of the queen:</strong> great, vigorous, often green, brown</li> <li><strong>Appearance of the workers:</strong> brown, slim with long extremities</li> <li><strong>Nest bulding:</strong> weaved nests between leaves of trees</li> <li><strong>Nutrition:</strong> honeywater, insects</li> <li><strong>Temperature:</strong> 22 - 28°C</li> <li><strong>Air humidity:</strong> 60 - 80 % (tropical rainforest)</li> <li><strong>Soil conditions:</strong> only necessary for planting, nesting between leaves</li> <li><strong>Planting:</strong> ficus</li> <li><strong>Level:</strong> Medium<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><strong><br /> </strong></span></li></ul>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Camponotus-piceus.en.html2010-06-17T23:54:38+02:002010-06-17T23:54:37+02:00<p>Camponotus piceus is a strong polymorph and inoffensive Camponotus species that can be found on dry and warm locations. Smallerst workers are just as large as Lasius niger. This species is suitable for keeping in mediteranean community basin.</p><ul> <li><strong>Taxonomy</strong>: Formicinae</li> <li><strong>Distribution</strong>: South Europe</li> <li><strong>Characteristics</strong>: strong polymorph (smallest workers as large as Lasius niger)</li> <li><strong>Nutrition</strong>: Honey- or sugar water and insects and other small animals</li> <li><strong>Colony size</strong>: small</li> <li><strong>Hibernation</strong>: Yes</li> <li><strong>Nest building</strong>: In dry soil loam/sand</li></ul><br />http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Ficus-pumila.en.html2010-07-22T23:25:29+02:002010-07-22T23:24:34+02:00<p>Ficus pumila is a small-leaved ground-cover plant that also send forth tendrils.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: ground-cover plant</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter</strong>: max. 1.5 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Ficus-sp-Panama.en.html2010-07-22T23:35:36+02:002010-07-22T23:35:35+02:00<p>This Ficus send forth tendrils to moist or even dry wood, and can be even kept epiphytic if the terrarium has a moist climate.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type:</strong> climbing plant</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter:</strong> ca. 0.5 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Pilea-depressa.en.html2010-07-22T23:41:53+02:002010-07-22T23:41:53+02:00<p>A fast growing ground-cover plant.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: Bodendecker</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter</strong>: ca. 0.5 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Pilea-glaucophylla.en.html2010-07-22T23:44:49+02:002010-07-22T23:44:49+02:00<p>A fast growing ground-cover plant.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: Bodendecker</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter</strong>: ca. 0.5 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Odontomachus-spblack.html2010-07-23T17:34:39+02:002010-07-23T17:32:54+02:00<p>These ants are able to catapult themselfs up to 40 cm far thru sudden lock up of their mandibles. This mandible lock up is the fastest known mechanism in the fauna. The upper jaw closes with a speed of 38 to 64 m/s. Thru locking up their jaws they are anesthetizing their prey to afterwards sting it to death. It is improper for a corporate tank/formicarium because they will attack any other species at first encounter.</p><ul> <li><strong>Taxonomy</strong>: Subfamily <strong>Ponerinae</strong>, Tribe <strong>Ponerini</strong></li> <li><strong>Distribution</strong>: South America</li> <li><strong>Color</strong>: black</li> <li><strong>Size</strong>: 8 - 12 mm</li> <li><strong>Hibernation</strong>: No</li> <li><strong>Nutrition</strong>: Sugar water and insects</li> <li><strong>Temperature</strong>: 24 - 28 °C</li> <li><strong>Nest building</strong>: Soil nests and rotten wood</li> <li><strong>Keeping level</strong>: easy</li> <li><strong>Dangers</strong>: can sting</li></ul>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Dischidia-sp.en.html2010-07-23T21:19:58+02:002010-07-23T21:19:58+02:00<p>Plant with small leaves.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type:</strong> climbing plant</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter:</strong> ca. 1 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Selaginella-sp.en.html2010-07-23T21:35:37+02:002010-07-23T21:35:37+02:00<p>Small growing fern which is suitable as ground-cover plant but also as epiphyte.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: Bodendecker<strong><br /> </strong></li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Phyllanthus-sp.en.html2010-07-23T21:42:16+02:002010-07-23T21:42:16+02:00<p>This is a fast growing tropical tree that builds pinnate leaves. The tree is very robust, so lopping is no problem.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: Tree</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter</strong>: ca.1-2 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Peperomia-sp-2.en.html2010-07-29T14:53:47+02:002010-07-23T21:55:35+02:00<p>This Peperomia has cordate leaves and is a perfect ground-cover plant.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: ground-cover plant</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter</strong>: ca. 1 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Passiflora-sp.en.html2010-08-10T00:45:25+02:002010-07-25T14:23:32+02:00<p>Passionflower with extrafloral nectary at the bottom of the leaf and on the leaf stalk. The plant requires a growth support and lopping is no problem.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: Nectary plant</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter</strong>: ca. 6 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Saxifraga-stolonifera.en.html2010-08-10T00:44:39+02:002010-07-25T14:47:55+02:00<p>This ground-cover plant has beautiful colored leafes suitable as feed lot for your ants. This plant can be kept small, mature plants have a leaf diameter of 15 cm. Our plants will have a leaf diameter of 7 cm.</p><ul> <li><strong>Type</strong>: ground-cover plant</li> <li><strong>Leaf diameter</strong>: 7 - 15 cm</li></ul><p> </p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Plant-mixture-1.html2010-08-15T23:30:09+02:002010-08-15T21:11:43+02:00<p>This pot conatins several plant species like Pilea glaucophylla, Pilea depressa, Peperomia sp. 2 and Ficus pumila.</p><ul> <li> <strong>Type</strong>: Mixture</li></ul>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Camponotus-maculatus.en.html2010-09-03T11:27:40+02:002008-09-28T00:06:28+02:00<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></p><ul> <li><strong>Taxonomy</strong>: Subfamily <strong>Formicinae</strong>, Tribe <strong>Camponotini</strong></li> <li><strong>Distribution</strong>: Central Africa</li> <li><strong>Color</strong>: small ants are yellow till brown, majors are marmorate</li> <li><strong>Nutrition</strong>: Honey- or sugar water and insects</li> <li><strong>Hibernation</strong>: No</li> <li><strong>Climate</strong>: tropical (moist)</li> <li><strong>Nest building</strong>: Soil nests, between stones</li> <li><strong>Planting</strong>: nothing specific</li> <li><strong>Level</strong>: easy</li> <li><strong>Specifics</strong>: Builds "half" calderas (one sided)</li></ul>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Crematogaster-scutellaris.en.html2010-09-06T17:01:20+02:002008-06-17T00:24:03+02:00<p>This is a beautiful colored red-black colored ants species of Southern Europe. This species often forage on long street to their feeding lots. On excitement they raises the gaster upwards similar to a scorpion to defend their attackers with their defense secretion.</p><ul> <li><strong>Taxonomy</strong>: Subfamily <strong>Myrmicinae</strong></li> <li><strong>Distribution</strong>: Southern Europe</li> <li><strong>Color</strong>: shiny black with red head</li> <li><strong>Size</strong>: Queen 7 -9 mm</li> <li><strong>Nest building</strong>: Nests in death wood of trees.</li> <li><strong>Nutrition</strong>: Honeywater, insects</li> <li><strong>Soil condition</strong>: any, wood nests</li> <li><strong>Level</strong>: easy</li></ul>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Messor-cf-orientalis.en.html2010-09-06T01:26:58+02:002006-11-02T20:49:59+01:00<p>Oriental Messor species which don't need hibernation. This species is also active in cool season in their range. It is significant easier to keep this species than for example Messor barbarus and they subsist on seeds, honey-/sugar water but also insects (similar to many Pheidole species). A typical identifiers is the caldera formed nest entry. They will often be found in sand or loamy sand. The shape of the body is slimmer than of Messor barbarus and the color of the workers is brown till black. The queen is colored black with brown legs.</p><ul> <li><strong>Taxonomy</strong>: Subfamily <strong>Myrmicinae</strong>, Tribe <strong>Pheidolini</strong></li> <li><strong>Color</strong>: <strong>Workers</strong>: darkbrown, <strong>Queen</strong>: black with brown legs</li> <li><strong>Size</strong>: <strong>Queen</strong> 11 - 13 mm</li> <li><strong>Distribution:</strong> Orient (Asia Minor)</li> <li><strong>Characteristics:</strong>  polymorph</li> <li><strong>Nest building</strong>: Soil nests, often in sand or under stones</li> <li><strong>Nutrition:</strong> Mostly seeds from different rampant plants (also grass), but insects and honeywater too</li> <li><strong>Temperature:</strong> 22 - 30 °C</li> <li><strong>Hibernation:</strong> No</li> <li><strong>Air humidity:</strong> Dry climate</li> <li><strong>Planting:</strong> nothing specific</li> <li><strong>Level</strong>: very easy to keep</li></ul><p><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><strong>Please note: Formerly this was specified as Messor spec. (the large form).</strong></span></p>http://www.ants-kalytta.com/Cataglyphis-nodus.en.html2010-09-09T13:49:57+02:002010-03-23T23:51:43+01:00<p>This is the largest Cataglyphis throughout Europe which is distributed from Asia minor to Central Europe.</p><ul> <li><strong>Taxonomy</strong>: Formicinae</li> <li><strong>Distribution</strong>: Asia minor, Southern to Central Europe</li> <li><strong>Color</strong>: red with black abdomen</li> <li><strong>Characteristics</strong>: monogyne, polymorph</li> <li><strong>Nutrition</strong>: Honey- or sugar water and insects and other small animals</li> <li><strong>Hibernation</strong>: Yes (slight)</li> <li><strong>Temperature</strong>: 20 - 35 °C (summer, outside the nest)</li> <li><strong>Nest building</strong>: Build their nest deep in soil, creates calderas, also under stones</li> <li><strong>Planting</strong>: steppe like<strong><br /> </strong></li></ul>