How To Care for Crematogaster Scutellaris
Hi guys! I hope you’re doing well!
Today we are going to learn how to care for a really cool ant species: Crematogaster scutellaris. By the end of the guide, you will have all the information you need to start growing your own Crematogaster scutellaris colony by yourself!
Let’s get into it!
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Introduction
This beautiful species is native to the land surrounding the Mediterranean. They can be found in several countries, such as Southern France, Italy, and Spain.
Crematogaster scutellaris, and in general all Crematogaster species, are also called acrobat ants. They get their name from their habit of acrobatically raising their abdomen above their head, especially when they are disturbed.
The queen's size ranges from 7 to 9 mm, and from 3 to 4 mm for the workers. This species is extremely easy to recognize! They have the characteristic heart-shaped abdomen of the Crematogaster species, a black body, and a red head.
You can easily find them in dead trees, as they love nesting in wood.
Crematogaster scutellaris is monogynous, which means that the colonies of this species accept only one queen.
The nuptial flights of this species usually occur in late summer and in the fall; between August and October, when the temperature begins to decrease.
Distribution
Temperature
Crematogaster scutellaris, like many other Mediterranean species, is very adaptable to temperature changes. They do not have very strict temperature requirements, and they can easily be kept at room temperature.
However, the ideal temperature for this species is between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius. If you live in a cold area or usually use an air conditioner in the room your ants are in, a heat mat or heat cable could be useful.
By raising the temperature of the nest, the metabolism of the brood will accelerate, reducing the time needed for the ants to fully develop into adults.
Crematogaster scutellaris is an extremely fast-developing species! If provided with the right temperature, the colony starts to grow exponentially and can reach a thousand workers in less than 2 years!
Humidity
When it comes to humidity levels, Crematogaster scutellaris doesn't have extreme demands. They prefer a range of moisture levels from 50% to 60%, the typical Mediterranean climate.
In the wild, they inhabit dead trees, some of which are completely dry. If the climate becomes extremely dry, they, like many other ant species, have the ability to raise the humidity level of the nest by watering it.
Food
Like almost every ant species, Crematogaster scutellaris requires some sugar for the workers and some protein for the queen and the brood.
As a sugar source, you can give them sugar water and some drops of honey. They really love honey! If you want to get the best possible sugar source, the Ant Antics sugar snaps are the product for you!
With these fantastic colorful little bottles, you can provide your ants with a very high-quality source of sugar, fueling their all-day-long working routine! With the sugar snaps, you can be sure of one thing: your ants are going to love them!
Given their fast growth rate, they also need a lot of protein!
Proteins are the building blocks of every animal body and are essential for the development of the ants. The queen needs protein for the production of the eggs, which will grow into larvae and then into pupae.
During the life cycle of the ant from egg to adult worker, the brood needs a lot of protein to successfully complete the various stages of development. Once the body of the ant is fully formed, the need for protein diminishes, and the need for sugar takes its place.
As a source of protein, you can give them almost every type of insect. In the wild, they love crickets, mealworms, fruit flies, and spiders.
If you’re reading this guide, there’s a high chance you're just starting out, and that you’ve just caught your first Crematogaster scutellaris queen ant. If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry too much about feeding at this stage.
That’s because Crematogaster scutellaris is a fully claustral species, which means that the queen won’t need to eat for at least a month, until she has her first workers.
She especially doesn’t need protein right now, because she can obtain the protein she needs from the decomposition of her wing muscles. However, if you want, you can give her a little drop of honey. That would give her the right amount of energy she needs to start her own ant colony!
Hibernation
Crematogaster scutellaris needs hibernation. They hibernate through the winter, from around late October to early March. They need at least a couple of months of diapause, a biological phase in which the queen doesn’t lay eggs.
This phase is very important for the health of the queen, and it’s the only time in the whole year when she can peacefully take some rest.
For this species, the ideal temperature for hibernation is around 10 degrees Celsius. I would not suggest going much lower than this because it could create problems for the long-term growth of the colony.
If you don’t have an available refrigerator, you can place the colony in the basement or garage, where the temperature is moderate.
If you're a beginner ant keeper and this is your first hibernation, I would strongly suggest you check out this other guide! Here, I explain in detail every aspect of this complex process called hibernation! What it is, why ants hibernate, and the most effective ways to hibernate your beloved ants!
Nest Type
When building or buying the nest for this species, keep in mind that they can also spray formic acid! For this reason, I would suggest using an outworld with plenty of ventilation holes or an easy-to-remove lid.
With large colonies, this could become a real problem. If the outworld doesn’t have adequate ventilation and the ants start to spray formic acid due to feeling threatened, they can harm themselves with the formic acid fumes!
Let's explore the best types of nests for this incredibly cool Mediterranean ant species!
Wooden Nest
When it comes to choosing a formicarium for Crematogaster scutellaris, the perfect and most obvious choice would be a nest made of wood.
This species really loves this material, and if you choose this type of nest you can be sure that your colony will thrive in it! Wooden nests don't need to be hydrated and require little to no maintenance!
Unfortunately, there aren't many companies that make this type of nest, and the ones that do often offer limited options. On the positive side, making a wooden nest is not that hard!
If the idea of building a wooden nest yourself intrigues you, I would suggest you check out this tutorial! This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to build a wooden nest, from the design of the chambers all the way to the final touches!
Ytong Nest
If you can’t find a wooden nest, another option would be a Ytong nest.
Ytong is a particular type of aerated concrete, usually used in construction. It is very popular in ant keeping for its moisture-retention properties, and it’s suitable for housing a colony of this species.
You can easily find this type of nest online. If you prefer D.I.Y. projects or don’t want to spend a lot of money on a nest, this material is very easy to sculpt! You can create all the chambers with just a screwdriver!
Online, there are many tutorials on how to build one of these! Like this one!
Acrylic Nest
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Another option for housing a colony of Crematogaster scutellaris is an acrylic nest.
Acrylic nests are perfect for housing almost every species of ants, including the colonies of Crematogaster scutellaris. They are relatively inexpensive compared to other options, and you can easily find them in almost every online ant keeping shop.
When it comes to choosing which acrylic nest to get, you have plenty of choices. All-in-one nests, modular nests, test tube-based nests… You are spoilt for choice!
If you like the idea of housing your colony inside one of these nests, I would suggest you check out this product review! It's the review of the extremely cool ant nest in the picture above!
I hope you have found this guide helpful!
If you just found your queen and want to know how to create the perfect environment for her, check out this guide on how to make a test tube setup! This is the perfect way to start your ant colony!
FAQs
The ideal temperature for Crematogaster scutellaris is between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius.
You can provide sugar sources like sugar water and honey, and protein sources like crickets, mealworms, and spiders.
Wooden nests are ideal, but Ytong and acrylic nests are also suitable options.
They hibernate from late October to early March and need at least a couple of months of diapause.
Yes, Crematogaster scutellaris colonies accept only one queen.
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