7 replies to this topic

[Neme123]

Location caught: Estes Park, CO
Length: Maybe 13mm
Coloring: Red abdomen and black thorax
Caught: July 22 late morning

I think it’s a Formica species but curious is it’s parasitic. I have have a parasitic ant before…




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[Virginian_ants]

It is Formica and parasitic. I've been wanting them for a while. (Soooooo jealous) I'm clearly not familiar with this speices but they seem easy to start and fun to keep. Just get her brood and host workers but it seems that they can open their own cocoons but if you find naked pupae you definitely don't need hosts.

[Neme123]

It is Formica and parasitic. I've been wanting them for a while. (Soooooo jealous) I'm clearly not familiar with this speices but they seem easy to start and fun to keep. Just get her brood and host workers but it seems that they can open their own cocoons but if you find naked pupae you definitely don't need hosts.

Do I need specific species of workers and brood? Any reference you know of to read/watch?

I have tons of harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex) around me or would have to hunt for others ant types.


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[Virginian_ants]

Look for the Formica any type.(except slave raider of course.)

[Neme123]

Look for the Formica any type.(except slave raider of course.)

Went hunting for brood today. Any of these workers look like they can be Formica and a host?








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Edited by Neme123, July 23 2023 - 12:04 PM.

[Virginian_ants]

No those are Tetramorium. Formica are larger and have cocoons.

[antperson24]

Try flipping up rocks to find Formica, as they like to nest under them. Another way to know Formica is that they're very fast moving as well as being sensitive to light and vibrations.

[Neme123]

Try flipping up rocks to find Formica, as they like to nest under them. Another way to know Formica is that they're very fast moving as well as being sensitive to light and vibrations.

Thanks. That’s what I was trying. The fort two tiny ones were under rocks.

The last, larger black ones were in a fallen rotted tree but are much smaller that the typical camponotus ants I see running around. About 7-8mm.

The first two are small at like 4-5mm.


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Edited by Neme123, July 23 2023 - 1:08 PM.