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Myrmica rubra

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Scientific name : Myrmica rubra
Dutch name : red sting ant
Distribution area : Europe
Color of the ant : orange reddish
Difficulty level : 2.5/5
Queen size 6-7 mm
Worker size : 4-5 mm
Soldier size :/
Temperature : 20 to 25 degrees
Optimal temperature : 24-25 degrees
humidity nest : 50 to 70%
humidity outside world : 30 to 50%
Winter dormancy : late October-March at +- 10 degrees
Growth rate : 3/5
Growing to number of workers : +- 20,000 workers
Subfamily : Myrmicinae
Foundation : semi -claustral
Colony formation : polygynous (can have multiple queens per nest)
Nutrition : insects such as fruit flies, redrunners, crickets, mealworms, buffalo worms, dubias.
Sugars such as beetlejelly, byFormica sunburst ant nectar, honeydew etc. Food requirement : normal
From how many workers to a nest : 50+
Recommended nest type : natural setup, wooden nest

Messor capitatus is a species in the subfamily Myrmicinae. They are also called the harvester ant, because they are known to accept various types of seeds and grind them into a paste which they then feed to the larvae and the queen. They are fairly easy-going and undemanding to their conditions, making them an ideal strain for patient beginners. It is important that this species is placed in a place where there are little to no vibrations, as this species is very sensitive to this and this causes stress. This species also has very large soldiers, even larger than those of Messor barbarus

Difficulty

2.5 / 5

Growth rate

3/ 5

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The Myrmica rubra, or red stinging ant, sets you on fire

This common and beautiful red stinging ant comes from the Myrmicinae subfamily. The first scientific name for this ant species comes from 1758 (Linnaeus). This ant species is so common because it can thrive in almost any type of habitat. It only seems to avoid very dry and warm areas, as well as areas with low and relatively limited vegetation. In an open habitat with tall plants and herbaceous layers, the species will soon be represented with more than 100 nests per 100 square meters. In many cases, the Myrmica rubra does not share its habitat with other ant species. Forest edges and more moist grasslands, also in the Netherlands, are most suitable for the red stinging ant.

Nests of the Myrmica rubra

On 100 square meters you will easily come across more than 100 nests. The red stinger ant has several functional queens per nest (maximum 600) in a population of up to 20,000 workers. The red stinging ant stings, as the name suggests, and will quickly attack aggressively if its nest is disturbed. This can lead to painful stings on the skin. But fortunately, red stinger ants are very friendly if you approach them with patience and love.

Where can you find this red stinging ant?

The red stinging ant can be found almost everywhere in both the Netherlands and Flanders. Myrmica rubrais is particularly effective at quickly colonizing new areas, such as gardens and parks. In an ordinary Dutch garden you can quickly encounter a large colony. In the larger forests, the red sting ant has competition from the Myrmica ruginodis, or: the forest sting ant. It often happens that the red sting ant is displaced by the forest sting ant.

Stinger ant stinger

The red stinging ant stings with a sting, just like a wasp or bee. This organ has the shape of a saber and is located on one side of the abdomen. The sting of the Myrmica rubra is completely hollow. This allows poison to flow from the ant into the sting wound of the 'victim'. This poison is harmless in humans. However, it will cause itching and some irritation for a short time. However, some people are allergic. For them, the stitches will remain visible for about ten days.

How common is the red sting ant?

Of all ant species, the red stinger ant is the second most common. In South Limburg, the red stinger ant is even more common than the road ant. The nest of the red stinging ant will often be in the ground, but it can also be above ground. Favorite places are under stones, in hollow branches, under the bark of rotten wood or between plant roots. In addition to being hard workers, red stinger ants are also true bon vivants and adventurers.

The physique of the red stinging ant

Stinger ants belong to the category of button ants. This means that there are two button-shaped particles between the abdomen and the thorax. The color of the ant can vary from typical red to brown-red. The first limb of the antenna is long and has a slight bend. The red sting ant is distinguished from the forest sting ant, among other things, by the fact that the front bud is almost smooth - and not ribbed. The red stinger ant also has shorter spines on the back of the thorax. Red stinger ants are known for milking aphids. Sometimes they live in symbiosis with the caterpillars of the blueberry.