7 replies to this topic

[AntsMaryland]

Hi,

I am getting a Tetramorium Caespitum colony very soon, I have done my research and know they are polygenus. As they grow very large to about 20k workers, how many mealworms should they be fed when they are at that state (I want them to keep growing)? Thanks. Any information would be gladly appreciated.

[sgheaton]

Best to keep doing research because they are not polygenus. 

[XZero38]

i can also attest to the species not being polygenus. This species is extremely easy to care for, they will eat just about anything so feeding them is pretty easy. My colony is no where near 20k workers, I would guess mine is around 300 workers and they eat a lot. I feed them 3-4 crickets every other day with sunburst from byformica and i still think i need to feed them more judging by the behavior that they are massing and trying to find a way to get out of the outworld. So I'm guessing I'm either not feeding them enough or they need more out outworld space. 

[AntsMaryland]

Some people have had tetramorium sp e colonies that have tolerated multiple queens, is that just a different sub-species?

[cpman]

Some people have had tetramorium sp e colonies that have tolerated multiple queens, is that just a different sub-species?

As far as I know, Tetramorium caesptium/sp. E in the United States is an assemblage of different genetic lineages that are virtually indistinguishable morphologically. The scattered reports of polygyny are probably due to a few factors. Pretty much all of them will found colonies from multiple queens. This doesn't necessarily mean that multiple queens will coexist in a mature nest though. Many, if not most kinds of ants that found colonies this way will kill off all but one queen. It's also possible that a couple of the genetic "species" in the group are polygyne. People also might be mixing up T. tsushmiae, a closesly related species that is polygynous, with T. caespitum/sp. E.

Edited by cpman, July 19 2017 - 9:39 AM.

[AntsMaryland]

Thank you cpman that is very helpful, because when I look up if they are polygenus I get very mixed results. Thanks.

[BMM]

 

Some people have had tetramorium sp e colonies that have tolerated multiple queens, is that just a different sub-species?

As far as I know, Tetramorium caesptium/sp. E in the United States is an assemblage of different genetic lineages that are virtually indistinguishable morphologically. The scattered reports of polygyny are probably due to a few factors. Pretty much all of them will found colonies from multiple queens. This doesn't necessarily mean that multiple queens will coexist in a mature nest though. Many, if not most kinds of ants that found colonies this way will kill off all but one queen. It's also possible that a couple of the genetic "species" in the group are polygyne. People also might be mixing up T. tsushmiae, a closesly related species that is polygynous, with T. caespitum/sp. E.

 

Actually, from what I've read, T. sp. E is the specific species of the T. caespitum complex from Europe that took root in North America. Consequently, North American ant keepers shouldn't need to consider which species their pavement ants are when discussing behavior (save for exception of T. tsushimae in a small portion of the Midwest). However, it's possible that North American ant keepers have taken reports from Europe, where there are a larger number of pavement ant species, and assumed that they're inherently representative of T. sp. E.

[cpman]

Some people have had tetramorium sp e colonies that have tolerated multiple queens, is that just a different sub-species?

As far as I know, Tetramorium caesptium/sp. E in the United States is an assemblage of different genetic lineages that are virtually indistinguishable morphologically. The scattered reports of polygyny are probably due to a few factors. Pretty much all of them will found colonies from multiple queens. This doesn't necessarily mean that multiple queens will coexist in a mature nest though. Many, if not most kinds of ants that found colonies this way will kill off all but one queen. It's also possible that a couple of the genetic "species" in the group are polygyne. People also might be mixing up T. tsushmiae, a closesly related species that is polygynous, with T. caespitum/sp. E.

Actually, from what I've read, T. sp. E is the specific species of the T. caespitum complex from Europe that took root in North America. Consequently, North American ant keepers shouldn't need to consider which species their pavement ants are when discussing behavior (save for exception of T. tsushimae in a small portion of the Midwest). However, it's possible that North American ant keepers have taken reports from Europe, where there are a larger number of pavement ant species, and assumed that they're inherently representative of T. sp. E.

Thanks for that. I wasn't aware that only one of the lineages had been introduced to the US. I haven't exactly been thorough with my research into this species because we don't have it here (as far as I know, the two species of this genus we have here are T. bicarinatum and T. spinosum, neither of which is super similar to T. caespitum/sp. E).

Either way, I still think that people mix up multi-queen colony founding with true polygyny. That and reports from Europe and/or parts of the Midwest with T. tsushimae.

Edited by cpman, July 20 2017 - 7:32 AM.