2 replies to this topic

[AntInSpaceFilms]

I'm getting everything ready to raise a Myrmecia pyriformis, and I'm curious about the relationship between these ants and springtails. Based on what I’ve read, smaller ant species might see springtails as food or a threat, but larger ants like Myrmecia tend to ignore them. It seems that springtails have even been observed living in Myrmecia nests in the wild.

Could it be that, because Myrmecia are more primitive and don’t rely heavily on pheromones or care much about nest hygiene, they naturally accept springtails as harmless guests?

 

It’s hard to find any official research, but if there’s a kind of symbiosis going on, they might be great companions in an enclosure. Has anyone had any experience or insight on this?

[NorthernTrav]

No relationship afaik. Some people raise them with springtails while others raise them without.

[Antz_Straya]

While there is no symbiosis between the two there isn't a 'dissadvantage' for having them in the enclousure/tube, they will eat the ants waste acting as clean up, its minimal though due to not being able to get a large amount of them because of space constrictions.