Myrmica punctiventris

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Simple description.

Queen[edit]

Queen Ant

Nuptial Flight Time: August-October.
Founding Type: Semi-claustral.
*gynous: Polygynous.
Brood Boostable: Yes.
Hibernation: Yes.
Feeding Requirements: Feeding required.
Nanitics Appear After: 1-2 months after the end of hibernation.
Founding Stage Notes: Existing colonies will adopt new queens, and as in Temnothorax, this may be the preferred method of founding.

Food[edit]

Every ant, even from same species may be temperamental to certain foods. Trial and error is best way to figure out she will eat. Compiled below is a list of likes and dislikes for this particular species.

Likes[edit]

Raw honey
Cricket leg
Mealworm
Walnut (Seen in wild.)

Dislikes[edit]

?

Colony[edit]

Difficulty: Intermediate.
Typical Colony Size: Small colonies, often with several queens.
Polymorphic: No, but workers very greatly in size.
Ant Length:
Temperament: Agressive.
Suggested Feeding Schedule: Often, they will eat heavily.
Hazards: Can bite or sting.
Colony Growth Rate: Medium, colonies remain small.
Egg To Worker: Unknown, probably around 1.5 months.
Circadian Activity: Possibly nocturnal.
Recommended Temperature: Not thermophilic.
Recommended Humidity: Other Myrmica need high humidity, but this species has nesting habits which may suggest otherwise.
Heating Pad Required: No.
Can Climb Smooth Surfaces: Yes.
When To Expand: Can live indefinitely in a small setup.
When Do Soldiers and Reproductives Appear: Unknown, probably earlier then most ants.
Invasive/Pest: No.
Farmers: Probably.
Native Location: Found throughout the eastern United States.
Natural Habitat : Found in forests nesting in objects on the ground such as walnuts and acorns. Colonies often have multiple nests.
Preferred Nesting Medium: Not picky.
Scientific Information: antwiki.org

Notes[edit]

Very interesting species that should be looked into.
Nestmates occasionally fight each other, suggesting that there may be power struggles playing out within colonies of this species. As multiple unrelated queens are present in a typical nest, this is unsurprising.
These ants tend to stuff themselves; sometimes, over two thirds of the colony will congregate around a food source until the ants have eaten their fill.
This species seems to dislike being heated, as mine were never attracted to their heating cable, and in fact seemed more energetic after it was removed.
Myrmica punctiventris may mate inside the nest, breeding new queens independently, as this behavior has been observed in other Myrmica species.
M. punctiventris may be nocturnal, as mine appear to be more active at night and in the evenings.
Separate colonies of this species are apparently compatible; my colony came from two walnuts which were found a few meters apart.

Images[edit]

Generic Ant
Generic Ant
Generic Ant