Polyrhachis dives

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Expert
• Origin & Habitat: Found in open woodlands, swampy coastal plains, and rural areas across Asia and Australia, including China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia ^[1][4]. Prefers arboreal habitats with shrubs and small trees for nest-building.
• Colony Type: Polygynous or monogyne colonies, with multiple queens possible in some colonies ^[1][4]. Colonies are polydomous, meaning they maintain multiple connected nest sites.
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: ~8.72-9.32 mm ^[1]
  • Worker: ~5.39-7.71 mm ^[1]
  • Colony: Up to 2500 workers ^[3]
  • Growth: Moderate
  • Development: Estimated 6-8 weeks at warm temperatures ^[5] (Development time inferred from related Formicinae species, specific data for P. dives is limited.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Keep at 24-28°C for optimal activity. This species tolerates temperatures up to 39°C but shows stress behaviors above 32.75°C ^[3]. Provide a temperature gradient for self-regulation.
  • Humidity: Keep nest substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged, as they are arboreal and use silk for nests ^[6].
  • Diapause: No, this tropical species does not require hibernation. Maintain warm temperatures year-round ^[5].
  • Nesting: Arboreal weaver, provide vertical space with live plants, branches, or mesh panels for nest-building using larval silk ^[6][2].
• Behavior: Active and aggressive foragers with strong territorial behavior. They patrol nest perimeters and defend against intruders, including fire ants ^[7]. Defense mechanism: lacks a sting but bites and sprays formic acid from an acidopore (subfamily Formicinae trait). Workers forage on soil, leaves, and tree trunks, often tending aphids for honeydew ^[8]. Escape risk is moderate due to climbing ability, use barrier gel on enclosures.
• Common Issues: invasive species warning, P. dives is a tramp species expanding its distribution, so extreme precautions must be taken to prevent escape ^[9]., nest collapse, silk weaves can deteriorate if humidity fluctuates too much., escape through small gaps, good climbers despite medium size., competition with other ants, aggressive but may lose to fire ants without support ^[7]., fungal growth in nest, requires good ventilation despite humidity needs.

Housing and Nest Setup

You need to provide vertical space for P. dives to build its silk-woven nests. Use a naturalistic setup with live plants, branches, or a formicarium with mesh panels where workers can stitch leaves together with larval silk ^[6][2]. Test tubes are not suitable, they require space for nest construction. Ensure the setup allows for multiple nest sites since colonies are polydomous. Keep humidity moderate with good ventilation to prevent mold in silk nests.

Feeding and Diet

Feed your colony a varied diet: protein sources like mealworms or small crickets 2-3 times weekly, and constant access to sugar sources like honey water or fruit ^[8][5]. They forage actively and will tend aphids for honeydew. Provide a shallow water source and remove uneaten prey after 24 hours to prevent mold.

Temperature and Heating

Keep colonies at 24-28°C for optimal activity. This species can tolerate up to 39°C but shows stress behaviors above 32.75°C, such as increased grouping and escape urgency ^[3]. Provide a temperature gradient using a heating cable on one side of the enclosure. Avoid temperatures below 20°C.

Colony Structure and Queen Care

P. dives can have polygynous or monogyne colonies, with multiple queens possible ^[1][4]. Queens are larger than workers (8.72-9.32 mm) ^[1]. Under warm conditions, first workers may appear in 6-8 weeks ^[5]. Colonies grow moderately and can reach up to 2500 workers ^[3]. As they grow, they will expand to multiple nest sites naturally.

Behavior and Defense

This species is aggressive and territorial, patrolling nest perimeters and defending against intruders ^[7]. They lack a sting but bite and spray formic acid, a trait of Formicinae ants. Workers forage on trees, soil, and leaves, often tending aphids ^[8]. Escape prevention is important due to climbing ability, use barrier gel on enclosures.

Weaver Nest Building

P. dives uses larval silk to stitch leaves and twigs into secure nests ^[6][2]. Provide materials like small live plants or synthetic mesh for nest-building. Workers coordinate to hold leaves while applying silk, creating large nests in established colonies.

Frequently Asked Questions

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References