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Myrmecophile crickets

Started By ANTdrew , Mar 3 2019 6:05 PM

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5 replies to this topic

#1 Offline ANTdrew - Posted March 3 2019 - 6:05 PM

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LocationAlexandria, VA

Flipping over rocks in my yard today, I found an hibernating Tapinoma sessile colony. Nestled up among them was a myrmecophile cricket. That got me wondering, how does one introduce a cricket like that to a captive colony? Is it even possible?

Edited by ANTdrew, April 30 2020 - 5:48 AM.

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#2 Offline Jadeninja9 - Posted March 3 2019 - 6:32 PM

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LocationSan Francisco Bay Area, CA

I don’t know but I discovered an Argentine colony last month with a few crickets living amongst them also. Why would there be crickets in a nest in the first place?

Edited by Jadeninja9, March 3 2019 - 6:34 PM.

#3 Offline Rstheant - Posted March 3 2019 - 8:22 PM

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Maybe they accidentally came into the nest, and if they tried to escape, the ants would take notice and kill it?

My Ant Colonies | Bay Area Anting Thread | Ant Adoption | My Ant Journal

#4 Offline Ants4fun - Posted April 29 2020 - 6:56 PM

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Sorry to revive an old thread, but just got a 4-500 worker Formica colony after accidentally destroying their home. Captured 8 or so myrmecophile crickets inside. What’s interesting to note, is that that 2 crickets are already being eaten by the colony. It seems that the colonies heightened allertness and less space allowed the crickets to be spotted more easily. The remaining crickets will groom the ants and try to induce tropholaxis. They seem to quarrel with each other and try to dodge around ants to avoid. Being noticed.

FSTP, ANTdrew and AntsDakota like this

#5 Offline AntsDakota - Posted April 30 2020 - 5:06 AM

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Are there multiple queens, or just one? But anyways, those crickets have a fascinating relationship with the ants.

Edited by AntsDakota, April 30 2020 - 5:07 AM.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version