Liometopum microcephalum

[mohawk]

Hello!

I urgently need information on Liometopum microcephalum.all that concerns the founding of the colonies,the practice of keeping them.were there any successful cases of detention Liometopum microcephalum home?if possible please give links to the blogs of Liometopum microcephalum or scientific literature about them.

[entoK]

Hi, mohawk, can I ask you why do you need this information? Did you find a gravid queen in your country?

The species you are asking about is relatively uncommon in Italy but locally abundant in the sites where it is found, because it is bound to the oak woods.
This is due to the peculiar mutualistic relationship that Liometopum microcephalum has with the oak trees. The colony nests only into the oak wood and it could become very large, so the tree takes an advantage because workers feed on the insects that usually are a threat for the oak.

Someone in past tried to keep a queen and he succeeded to raise a little colony (here) with some workers. When a good colony grew up, he transferred them into the oak wood nest (here). Actually we don't know anything about how big the colony became. I presume keeping these ants should not be too much different from similar Dolichoderinae and nothing too hard, like any other common tree-ants species. Threads with some images are here and here.

So I can tell you that a simply claustral foundation is good as a first stage. You only have to place the queen alone in the classic test tube setup as most of ants species queens.

[mohawk]

Hello! thanks,I understood Your answer)))) Yes,these ants (Liometopum microcephalum) are found in the South. also rare. I decided to try to keep them at home.collect information.we would like to know-can the queen itself found a colony. but You have already answered))

[entoK]

Do you mean in southern russia, isn't it?
I'm sorry, I didn't remember well.. Where do you come from?