7 replies to this topic

[futurebird]

Did you know that weaver ants will use the empty cocoons from silk moths as founding nests? (source)


Pretty cute! Could be a good nest idea for those who try to keep weavers. Better than trying to keep them in fresh leaves...


Camponotus pennslyvanicus eats the silk cases not long after a new ant emerges. Though I have seen them in the garbage pile from time to time. 
Lasius neoniger? I have no idea what they do with silk cocoons. Despite having filmed the queen laying eggs, and cocoons being spun, I have never managed to catch one of these ants emerging... or seen what happens to the cocoons. Have any of you noticed?

I've also noticed that some ants save used cocoon in a pile in the nest. I was distressed by this, thinking it was a trash pile in the nest, but I've noticed that when they don't have a bug to much on the workers will grab a cocoon and wander around chewing on it. Is this some kind of shelf-stable snack food?

What do your workers do with old silk?


 

Edited by futurebird, August 16 2022 - 5:23 AM.

[bmb1bee]

My Camponotus us-ca02 use their empty silk cocoons as some kind of bedding for their really small larvae, which I find pretty cute. They shred them into smaller pieces and put the silk pieces right under the larvae. My Hypoponera colony, on the other hand, just leave their empty cocoons lying around and just ignore them.

[Manitobant]

All my ants throw their empty cocoons into the trash pile in the outworld.

[AntsTopia]

My Lasius neoniger colony eats their cocoons halfway and then carries it around like anyother cocoon.

[futurebird]

I'm "bumping" this old topic because I'm still wondering about this. My Camponotus nicobarensis have filled one of the chambers in their wooden nest with old silk cocoons. In the original post I said that the Camponotus pennslyvanicus ate them...but now I'm not as certain. They also have a pile in the nest of old cocoons. They have a trash pile outside of the nest, so it's not like they don't understand the concept of a trash pile. I feed both colonies really nice food so maybe they don't feel like they need to eat them?

 

The nicos have a rather huge pile as a bunch of brood just emerged. 

[The_Gaming-gate]

I'm "bumping" this old topic because I'm still wondering about this. My Camponotus nicobarensis have filled one of the chambers in their wooden nest with old silk cocoons. In the original post I said that the Camponotus pennslyvanicus ate them...but now I'm not as certain. They also have a pile in the nest of old cocoons. They have a trash pile outside of the nest, so it's not like they don't understand the concept of a trash pile. I feed both colonies really nice food so maybe they don't feel like they need to eat them?

The nicos have a rather huge pile as a bunch of brood just emerged.

It is possible the ants are simply saving an emergency food surplus, in case other sources become scarce.

[Artisan_Ants]

 

I'm "bumping" this old topic because I'm still wondering about this. My Camponotus nicobarensis have filled one of the chambers in their wooden nest with old silk cocoons. In the original post I said that the Camponotus pennslyvanicus ate them...but now I'm not as certain. They also have a pile in the nest of old cocoons. They have a trash pile outside of the nest, so it's not like they don't understand the concept of a trash pile. I feed both colonies really nice food so maybe they don't feel like they need to eat them?

The nicos have a rather huge pile as a bunch of brood just emerged.

It is possible the ants are simply saving an emergency food surplus, in case other sources become scarce.

 

No this is not true because ants, especially that of Camponotus do not eat waste which does not contain any kind of protein or carbohydrates. I gave my Camponotus colony some mealworms about 2 weeks ago, and when they finished eating it (yesterday) they threw it outside with only the shell left, and didn't go back to it again to eat anymore of it, so I took it out.

[Mushu]

I'm "bumping" this old topic because I'm still wondering about this. My Camponotus nicobarensis have filled one of the chambers in their wooden nest with old silk cocoons. In the original post I said that the Camponotus pennslyvanicus ate them...but now I'm not as certain. They also have a pile in the nest of old cocoons. They have a trash pile outside of the nest, so it's not like they don't understand the concept of a trash pile. I feed both colonies really nice food so maybe they don't feel like they need to eat them?

 

The nicos have a rather huge pile as a bunch of brood just emerged. 

 

I'm curious myself. My Myrmecocystus placodops mostly and eventually throw out cocoons but they also keep lots of larger sized ones(where they did not chew it up while cutting open to release a worker) with the live cocoon pile for a long time. I think they keep more than they toss at the moment. My buddy say's his Mexicanus tosses them but I'm not sure if he pays attention to empty cocoons in the live cocoon pile.