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Aaron's Formica archboldi Journal (Updated 10-13-19)

formica archboldi formicinae pallidefulva

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#1 Offline Aaron567 - Posted August 1 2019 - 11:18 AM

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Formica archboldi

 

Formica archboldi is possibly the least-known species in the Formica pallidefulva group, but an extremely interesting species nevertheless. It is the only Formica species that is restricted to the southeastern United States and it is only found in rural areas of Florida, southern Georgia, and southern Alabama. It's also the only dark-colored Formica species in Florida, whereas Florida's other three species (biophilica, dolosa, pallidefulva) are orange. 

 

Formica archboldi are mostly known for being predators of the native trap-jaw ants Odontomachus brunneus and Odontomachus relictus. Compared to other species of Formica, they are better-equipped at taking down Odontomachus workers due to the chemical mimicry that the archboldi exhibit. It seems that when the Formica are done eating the Odontomachus workers, they hoard their body parts inside the nest instead of trashing them, making it seem like they're decorating their nest with Odontomachus heads.

 

​On July 8, 2019 I was lucky enough to have received a Formica archboldi queen from SuperFrank because he finds them in his area. I've never seen the species around my area before because I am a bit too far west for them. The queen had 8 larvae when she arrived. She was also in a plastic test tube at first, so the pictures aren't as clear.

 

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The larvae grew quickly but a few were lost along the way. Yesterday (July 31, 2019) the first two nanitics hatched. There will be five nanitics total, and the queen has already started laying the next batch of eggs. If this colony does well and reaches larger numbers I will be sure to give them some Odontomachus brunneus workers to see what it looks like when they take them down. It's interesting that a seemingly shy and harmless species could so easily prey on ants that you would think are way fiercer than them.

 

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Edited by Aaron567, October 13 2019 - 6:51 PM.

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#2 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 1 2019 - 12:15 PM

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How will you feed them?



#3 Offline Acutus - Posted August 1 2019 - 12:30 PM

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How will you feed them?

 

Good Question! Is that all they eat?


Billy

 

Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

Camponotus castaneus

Formica subsericea


#4 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 1 2019 - 1:35 PM

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They are ant specialists (I think) and will eat other ants but remains found in nests primarily belong to odontomachus.



#5 Offline Aaron567 - Posted August 1 2019 - 2:00 PM

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They are generalists that eat a wide variety of arthropods, like most ants. They just happened to evolve a special predator-prey relationship with the Odontomachus that live alongside them. Odontomachus workers are just on the menu for them where they wouldn't be for other ants, from what I understand.



#6 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 1 2019 - 2:17 PM

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Huh.



#7 Offline SuperFrank - Posted August 2 2019 - 3:28 PM

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Very excited to see your documentation of them! I never recorded my experiences last year and as you know I don't currently keep them, I enjoy reading your journals and have been waiting for the start of this one since I sent them to you lol

Edited by SuperFrank, August 2 2019 - 3:30 PM.

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#8 Offline Aaron567 - Posted August 15 2019 - 7:43 PM

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August 15, 2019

 

This colony is doing well since getting all five of the nanitics. Less than two weeks after the nanitics eclosed, they already have three new pupae that have appeared out of nowhere. For the larger Formicine ants that they are, the brood of this species grows incredibly fast. Eggs do not take very long, larvae hatch from their eggs and pupate within less than a week, and pupae also eclose quickly. I have so far given them a couple of cricket legs and a lot of sugar/honey water.

 

I have also noticed a strange behavior with the queen that startled me a few days ago. I picked up their tube to take a look at them and the queen flipped herself over and was sitting there, motionless, not even attempting to turn herself upright. I certainly thought she was dying, until I removed the cotton from the open end of the test tube and the colony (including the queen) snapped out of it and went crazy from feeling the puff of foreign air. Perhaps they have a freeze mechanism similar to that of Strumigenys when something disturbs them.

 

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Edited by Aaron567, August 15 2019 - 7:44 PM.

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#9 Offline Aaron567 - Posted September 14 2019 - 2:10 PM

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September 14, 2019

 

There are nine workers now. Two pupae, one small larva, and no eggs. Hopefully the queen lays some more eggs soon.. I was hoping they'd grow to a good size before winter, with how fast the brood grows.

 

I got some shots of the ninth worker yesterday just after she eclosed and the other workers were still helping her out.

 

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The queen.

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Edited by Aaron567, September 14 2019 - 2:13 PM.

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#10 Offline Aaron567 - Posted October 13 2019 - 6:49 PM

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October 13, 2019

 

Ten workers. For several weeks they have gone through a period with no brood. I thought they may have been done for the year, but over the last couple days the queen started laying eggs again. The most recent worker to eclose is much larger than the rest, but I haven't gotten any pictures of her yet.

 

They now have an outworld. These are some of the most alert ants I've ever seen.. any time they feel a vibration they flip out and dart around just outside their test tube. They've also torn up the cotton inside their tube and use the loose clump as a hiding place, so it'll be hard to take photos of them until they are moved into a new tube.

 

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#11 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted March 22 2020 - 9:08 PM

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Update?

#12 Offline AntsDakota - Posted March 23 2020 - 5:49 AM

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Yes please! I’d love to see them eat some Odos.........

Edited by AntsDakota, March 23 2020 - 5:49 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






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