Aphaenogaster Dulcineae - Beginner

The Underground Species - Beginner

The first thing you will notice about the Dulcineae is the very distinctive colouring, much like a Lasius Flavus they look soft and bright. This is because like the Flavus the Dulcineae also spends its time below the surface and will only come above ground if enlarging their entrance or to release queens for nuptials.

Dulcineae are found across southern Europe and are in abundance in places where conditions are right, typically you can expect to only see them in areas with a high moisture table. This is why parks and fields are their ideal place to lay claim to land. The root system retains moisture making something consistent.

Roots, in turn also present them with a large amount of the carbs they need, by capturing Aphids they move them around like cattle ensuring they have food to eat and conditions to breed so they can keep their fill of honeydew. (Honeydew is a sweet secretion which Aphids release, it is loved by the ants and is high in sugar)

All ants need their proteins too, and this can be done underground also, Dulcineae are extremely fast at tunneling and they can use this skill to hunt subterranean food sources like Earthworms, Spring-tails, Woodlouse, Larvae e.t.c

With a life underground the main risk is temperature and humidity issues. But like Flavus or termites these girls use a well constructed mound to regulate humidity in their nest. For a colony of up to 10,000 workers per queen this colony will look bigger from the surface entrance.

If you are looking for a shy, timid species which will be easy to keep then Dulcineae is a great easy keeping species. Their ideal life would be somewhere they can dig, but a dark Ytong nest would also be more than adequate if kept hydrated. You wont need to invest in a large outworld as they will seldom use it.

Colony Size

Up to 10,000 workers

Queen Age - Up to 20 years

Monogyne - One Queen per colony Fully Claustral - No food until first workers

Temperature & Humidity

Nest 21 to 24 degrees | Outworld 18 to 28 degrees

Nest 60%-80% | Outworld 30% to 50%

Hibernation

Yes - November to March at 15 degrees

Polymorphic (Different size casts)

Slightly, although small in comparison the cast does change very slightly with the smaller and larger workers.

Sting | Bite | Spray