Cataglyphis bombycinus
| Latin Name: |  |
Cataglyphis bombycinus |
| Trivialname: |  |
Saharan silver ant |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Formicinae Tribe: Formicini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(2) shows higher requirements to climate and nutrition |
| Distribution: |  |
Africa, Greece, Middleeast |
| Habitat: |  |
prefers semi - desert and desert habitats |
| Colonyform: |  |
monogyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 11 - 12mm Colour: Head and Thorax reddishbrown, Gaster black, complete body with short hairs giving a silver shine |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 5,5 - 15mm Colour: Head and Thorax reddishbrown, Gaster black, complete body with short hairs giving a silver shine |
| Soldier: |  |
Size:15mm with large mandibles (4mm) Colour: like normal workers |
| Males: |  |
Size: 8,5 - 11mm Colour: black, mandibles and legs yellow, slim |
| Nutrition |  |
Honeywater and insects e.g. Dipterans like Flies or Mosquitos |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 30 - 50% Nestpart: 50 - 60% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 20 - 40°C Nestpart: 24 - 28°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
no |
| Nestform: |  |
Build their nest in soil |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Farm, Farmbasin, Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder, Ytong/ Plasternest |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: M - L |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: Sand-Loam Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam |
| Planting: |  |
similar to Desert and Savannaareas with moss, grass and other plants |
| Decoration: |  |
Branches, Roots, Stones |
| Description: |  |
Cataglyphis bombycinus is highly heatadapted ant which forage also at temperatures up to 50°C. Through there silver shine they are also known as Saharan silverants. They are very aggressive ant the soldiers have effective mandibles similar to Armyants in southamerica. Also sometimes under the wrong spelling Cataglyphis bombycina. |
| Development: |  |
matingflight: - founding: claustral (without feeding) colonysize: a few 1.000 Individuals |
| Quantity: |  |
one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Forum - Reference |