[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":355},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis":3},{"species":4,"profile":228,"countryNames":265,"lookalikes":271,"similar":274,"posts":333},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":11,"defense":17,"diet":20,"difficulty":23,"dryHumidity":24,"escapeRisk":10,"estimated":25,"experience":29,"extension":30,"finder":31,"founding":32,"growth":33,"guide":24,"hibernation":34,"hibernationMonths":35,"hibernationTemperature":38,"humidity":40,"image":43,"imageCredit":44,"imageHeight":48,"imageWidth":49,"interests":24,"keptSince":24,"legal":50,"lookalikes":53,"majorSize":24,"maxWorkers":56,"meta":57,"nests":58,"nuptialFlightMonths":24,"nuptialFlightTime":24,"nuptialFlightTriggers":24,"polymorphism":62,"queenSize":63,"regions":66,"relatedPosts":69,"reviewedAt":52,"scientificName":73,"sources":74,"stem":213,"subfamily":214,"temperature":215,"tribe":218,"workerSize":219,"__hash__":222,"slug":223,"genus":224,"nickname":225,"aliases":226,"tagline":227},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis.yml","Mayr, 1853","monogyne",{"biology":9,"husbandry":10,"nuptialFlight":9},"high","medium",[12,13,14,15,16],"ES","PT","FR","IT","MA",[18,19],"bite","sting",[21,22],"insects","sugar","3",null,[26,27,28],"hibernationTemperature","queenSize","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"fission","fast","recommended",[36,37],12,2,[36,39],16,[41,42],50,65,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis.jpg",{"author":45,"license":46,"url":47},"Diego González Dopico","CC BY 4.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F347125087",800,1200,{"status":51,"checked":52},"free","2026-10-11",[54,55],"Aphaenogaster gemella","Aphaenogaster iberica",3000,{},[59,60,61],"ytong","naturalistic","acrylic","monomorphic",[64,65],8,10,[67,68],"europe","northAfrica",[70,71,72],"how-to-make-a-ytong-nest","how-to-hibernate-your-ants","the-best-conditions-to-keep-ants-the-ant-pod","Aphaenogaster senilis",[75,81,86,90,94,99,103,107,111,115,121,125,129,133,137,141,145,149,154,159,163,168,172,176,180,184,188,192,197,201,205,209],{"type":76,"title":77,"url":78,"covers":79},"paper","Cronin and Monnin (2009), Frontiers in Zoology: Bourgeois queens and high stakes games in the ant Aphaenogaster senilis (one queen per colony, colony fission, replacement queens, field colony sizes)","https:\u002F\u002Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Farticles\u002FPMC2771002\u002F",[80],"biology",{"type":76,"title":82,"url":83,"covers":84},"Boulay et al. (2007), Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology: Production of sexuals in a fission-performing ant (168 field colonies in Spain, 121 to 3,906 workers, males far outnumber young queens)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002Fs00265-007-0385-3",[80,85],"distribution",{"type":76,"title":87,"url":88,"covers":89},"Ichinose and Lenoir (2009), Journal of Ethology: Reproductive conflict between laying workers in the ant Aphaenogaster senilis (the two ways colonies split)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002Fs10164-008-0145-5",[80],{"type":76,"title":91,"url":92,"covers":93},"Peeters (2012), Myrmecological News: Convergent evolution of wingless reproductives across all subfamilies of ants (lists Aphaenogaster senilis with short-winged queens)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.myrmecologicalnews.org\u002Fcms\u002Findex.php?option=com_download&view=download&filename=volume16%2Fmn16_75-91_printable.pdf&format=raw",[80],{"type":76,"title":95,"url":96,"covers":97},"Maák et al. (2017), Animal Behaviour: Tool selection during foraging in two species of funnel ants (habitat, colonies kept in the lab at 24 degrees with moist plaster nests)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1016\u002Fj.anbehav.2016.11.005",[80,98],"husbandry",{"type":76,"title":100,"url":101,"covers":102},"Maák et al. (2020), eLife: A small number of workers with specific personality traits perform tool use in ants (Aphaenogaster senilis kept in plaster nests, crickets and apple with honey)","https:\u002F\u002Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Farticles\u002FPMC7725502\u002F",[80,98],{"type":76,"title":104,"url":105,"covers":106},"Caut et al. (2013), Ecoscience: A year in an ant's life, opportunism and seasonal variation in the foraging ecology of Aphaenogaster senilis (active almost all year in southern Spain)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.2980\u002F20-1-3559",[80],{"type":76,"title":108,"url":109,"covers":110},"Galarza et al. (2012), Oikos: Frequent colony relocations do not result in effective dispersal in the gypsy ant Aphaenogaster senilis","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1111\u002Fj.1600-0706.2011.19859.x",[80],{"type":76,"title":112,"url":113,"covers":114},"Cagniant (1992), Bulletin du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle: Etude des populations marocaines d'Aphaenogaster (suprasp.) senilis (the species in Morocco)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.5962\u002Fp.289870",[85],{"type":116,"title":117,"url":118,"covers":119},"reference","AntCat: Aphaenogaster senilis Mayr, 1853 (valid species of Myrmicinae, tribe Stenammini; page blocked to bots, checked through the Catalogue of Life, which mirrors AntCat)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcat.org\u002Fcatalog\u002F431258",[120],"taxonomy",{"type":116,"title":122,"url":123,"covers":124},"AntWiki: Aphaenogaster senilis (page blocked to bots, read through search excerpts: country list, fission, one queen, Sardinian type locality)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antwiki.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAphaenogaster_senilis",[120,80,85],{"type":116,"title":126,"url":127,"covers":128},"GBIF: Aphaenogaster senilis Mayr, 1853 (accepted name, occurrence records by country)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gbif.org\u002Fspecies\u002F1316075",[120,85],{"type":116,"title":130,"url":131,"covers":132},"Wikipedia: Aphaenogaster senilis","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAphaenogaster_senilis",[120,80,85],{"type":116,"title":134,"url":135,"covers":136},"Wikipedia (French): Aphaenogaster senilis","https:\u002F\u002Ffr.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAphaenogaster_senilis",[80,85],{"type":116,"title":138,"url":139,"covers":140},"Wikipedia: Aphaenogaster (tribe Stenammini, funnel ants)","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAphaenogaster",[120],{"type":116,"title":142,"url":143,"covers":144},"Alarcon, after Arcos and Fede (2023), key to the Aphaenogaster workers of the Iberian Peninsula (senilis with medium slender spines, gemella with very reduced spines, iberica with long spines but gray)","https:\u002F\u002Fpacoalarcon.com\u002Fformicidae\u002Fclaves_aphaenogaster.pdf",[120],{"type":116,"title":146,"url":147,"covers":148},"AntScout: Aphaenogaster senilis (care sheet compiled from the literature)","https:\u002F\u002Fantscout.com\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis",[80,98,85],{"type":150,"title":151,"url":152,"covers":153},"forum","Ameisenforum.de: Aphaenogaster senilis Haltungserfahrungen (keeping diary from 2010 to 2013, from 70 to over 1,000 workers, winters at room temperature)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=40682",[98,80],{"type":155,"title":156,"url":157,"covers":158},"careSheet","Ameisenforum.de: Steckbrief Aphaenogaster senilis (colony splitting, winter rest described as disputed)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=30579",[98,80,120],{"type":155,"title":160,"url":161,"covers":162},"Fourmiculture: Aphaenogaster senilis colony with queen and workers (gentle winter rest, diet, nest size, sting)","https:\u002F\u002Ffourmiculture.com\u002Fen\u002Fproduct\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis-colony-with-queen-and-workers\u002F",[98,80],{"type":155,"title":164,"url":165,"covers":166},"Esprit Fourmis: Aphaenogaster senilis care sheet (no nuptial flight, budding, 22 to 28 degrees, short winter rest)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.esprit-fourmis.fr\u002Fen\u002Fproduit\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis\u002F",[98,80,167],"nuptialFlight",{"type":155,"title":169,"url":170,"covers":171},"Ameisenhaltung.de: Artenverzeichnis, Aphaenogaster senilis","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenhaltung.de\u002Fartenverzeichnis\u002Fentry\u002F3-aphaenogaster-senilis\u002F",[98,80],{"type":155,"title":173,"url":174,"covers":175},"Antstore: Aphaenogaster senilis","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-South-Europe\u002FAphaenogaster-senilis.html",[98,80],{"type":155,"title":177,"url":178,"covers":179},"Ant Shack: Aphaenogaster senilis care sheet","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ant-shack.com\u002Fblogs\u002Fant-care-sheets-1\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis-1",[98,80],{"type":155,"title":181,"url":182,"covers":183},"FormicaMarket: Aphaenogaster senilis care guide (lists May to July flights, which the papers do not support)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicamarket.com\u002Fen\u002Fant-database\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis\u002F",[98,80],{"type":155,"title":185,"url":186,"covers":187},"ANTonTOP: Aphaenogaster senilis (no flight, colony budding)","https:\u002F\u002Fantontop.com\u002Fants\u002Fhibernating-species\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis\u002F",[98,80,167],{"type":155,"title":189,"url":190,"covers":191},"Antkeeping.info: Aphaenogaster senilis (lists June to August flights, which the papers do not support)","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis\u002F",[85,167],{"type":116,"title":193,"url":194,"covers":195},"EU list of invasive alien species of Union concern (Implementing Regulation 2016\u002F1141, consolidated)","https:\u002F\u002Feur-lex.europa.eu\u002Feli\u002Freg_impl\u002F2016\u002F1141\u002Foj",[196],"legal",{"type":116,"title":198,"url":199,"covers":200},"Antkeeping.info: ant species forbidden in the EU","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Fkeeping-forbidden-in-eu-species\u002F",[196],{"type":116,"title":202,"url":203,"covers":204},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[196],{"type":116,"title":206,"url":207,"covers":208},"MITECO: Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species, arthropods","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.miteco.gob.es\u002Fen\u002Fbiodiversidad\u002Ftemas\u002Fconservacion-de-especies\u002Fespecies-exoticas-invasoras\u002Fce_eei_artropodos_nc.html",[196],{"type":116,"title":210,"url":211,"covers":212},"Japan Ministry of the Environment: list of designated invasive alien species (Invasive Alien Species Act)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.env.go.jp\u002Fnature\u002Fintro\u002F2outline\u002Flist.html",[196],"species\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis","Myrmicinae",[216,217],21,27,"Stenammini",[220,221],5,7,"_stMJWIwwT5yWYC2Ln1vjd88ZGn0JvWTCrjhEyCnuIE","aphaenogaster-senilis","Aphaenogaster","",[],"A long-legged, restless hunter that spreads by splitting its colony instead of flying, and carries liquid food home on bits of debris.",{"id":229,"title":230,"aliases":226,"body":231,"description":225,"extension":236,"faqs":237,"identification":247,"language":248,"meta":249,"navigation":250,"nickname":225,"notes":251,"path":262,"seo":263,"stem":213,"tagline":227,"__hash__":264},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis.md","Aphaenogaster Senilis",{"type":232,"value":233,"toc":234},"minimark",[],{"title":225,"searchDepth":37,"depth":37,"links":235},[],"md",[238,241,244],{"question":239,"answer":240},"Can Aphaenogaster senilis queens fly, and how do new colonies start?","No. The queens have only short, non-functional wings, so there is no nuptial flight. New colonies start by fission: after a nest move, part of the workers can leave with young female larvae and raise a new queen from them, and very large colonies also rear a few new queens, one of which walks out with workers and brood to found a new nest. This is why shops sell colonies with a queen, workers and brood, and not single queens.",{"question":242,"answer":243},"What happens if the queen of an Aphaenogaster senilis colony dies?","The workers can rear replacement queens from young larvae, up to five at once in laboratory colonies, and the new queens fight until only one is left. Orphaned workers also lay unfertilized eggs, which become males. The new queen still has to mate, and mating did not happen in the laboratory colonies, so a colony that loses its queen in a closed formicarium may not recover.",{"question":245,"answer":246},"How many workers does an Aphaenogaster senilis colony reach?","In Spain, field colonies averaged about 1,260 workers, ranging from just over a hundred to almost 3,900. In captivity, one German keeper started with about 70 workers and counted around a thousand two years later, so plan for a colony of some thousands at most, not tens of thousands.","Slim, long-legged workers of a single size, matte black with fine whitish hairs and a pair of short spines on the back of the thorax. The similar Aphaenogaster gemella has almost no spines, and the queens of this species have only short stubs for wings.","en",{},true,[252,255,258,260],{"kind":253,"text":254},"watchOut","There is no nuptial flight and the queens do not found colonies alone, so the species is sold as a fragment with a queen, workers and brood. When you move it, empty the tube into the foraging area instead of connecting it to the new nest, because the workers can attack each other during a move.",{"kind":256,"text":257},"tip","Offer liquid food with a few grains of sand or tiny sponge pieces beside it. The workers cannot pass liquid mouth to mouth, so they soak these bits and carry them to the queen and the brood, and one keeper saw plain dishes buried under moss and substrate instead.",{"kind":256,"text":259},"This is a hunter with a big appetite for protein, so feed small insects often, and boiled egg or tuna are accepted too. The workers lay the larvae right on the prey so they feed themselves, so remove leftovers from the nest before they mold.",{"kind":256,"text":261},"Do not panic if the colony suddenly moves its brood to a new corner or tube, because wild colonies change nest all the time. Still check first for mold or a nest that has dried out, since one keeper's queen moved her eggs out of a tube that had grown mold.","\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis",{"description":225},"NevrST3LkzrEjcyOhvWOzspAU87jTpC6EhvG0e9lZmI",[266,267,268,269,270],"France","Italy","Morocco","Portugal","Spain",[272,273],{"name":54,"slug":24},{"name":55,"slug":24},[275,292,312],{"slug":276,"scientificName":277,"genus":224,"nickname":225,"aliases":278,"tagline":279,"image":280,"experience":29,"guide":24,"difficulty":281,"workerSize":282,"majorSize":24,"queenSize":284,"temperature":285,"hibernation":34,"hibernationTemperature":288,"hibernationBand":289,"sizeClass":10,"founding":290,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":291},"aphaenogaster-subterranea","Aphaenogaster subterranea",[],"A slender, secretive forest ant that nests under stones, hunts quietly in the leaf litter and carries sweet liquids home on soaked grains of soil.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea.jpg","4",[283,220],3,[221,64],[286,287],20,26,[64,36],"cool","claustral",[67],{"slug":293,"scientificName":294,"genus":295,"nickname":296,"aliases":297,"tagline":298,"image":299,"experience":29,"guide":24,"difficulty":300,"workerSize":301,"majorSize":24,"queenSize":303,"temperature":305,"hibernation":34,"hibernationTemperature":307,"hibernationBand":309,"sizeClass":10,"founding":290,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":310},"pogonomyrmex-rugosus","Pogonomyrmex rugosus","Pogonomyrmex","Rough harvester ant",[],"A heavy desert seed harvester with deep granaries, a bare disk around its nest and a painful sting.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fpogonomyrmex-rugosus.jpg","5",[221,302],9,[36,304],14,[287,306],30,[308,39],13,"mild",[311],"northAmerica",{"slug":313,"scientificName":314,"genus":315,"nickname":316,"aliases":317,"tagline":320,"image":321,"experience":29,"guide":24,"difficulty":23,"workerSize":322,"majorSize":24,"queenSize":324,"temperature":325,"hibernation":327,"hibernationTemperature":328,"hibernationBand":329,"sizeClass":10,"founding":290,"colonyStructure":330,"regions":331},"formica-fusca","Formica fusca","Formica","Silky ant",[318,319],"Dusky ant","Large black ant","A shy, quick-footed black ant that forgives beginner mistakes and is the classic host of slave-making ants.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fformica-fusca.jpg",[323,221],4,[64,65],[216,326],25,"required",[220,64],"cold","facultative",[67,332],"asia",[334,341,348],{"id":335,"title":336,"description":337,"image":338,"categoryText":339,"path":340},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest.md","How To Make a Ytong Nest - Ant Keeping Tutorial","In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a Ytong nest for your ant colonies! This is one of the best nest types for many ant species!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_ytong_ant_nest_tutorial.png","Tutorials & D.I.Y.","\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest",{"id":342,"title":343,"description":344,"image":345,"categoryText":346,"path":347},"blog\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants.md","How To Hibernate Your Ants - Hibernation Tutorial","In this guide, we’re going to talk about hibernation: What is it? Why do ants need hibernation? Should I hibernate my ants? Let's see!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_hibernation_guide.png","Ant Keeping Basics","\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants",{"id":349,"title":350,"description":351,"image":352,"categoryText":353,"path":354},"blog\u002Fthe-best-conditions-to-keep-ants-the-ant-pod.md","The Best Conditions To Keep Ants - The Ant Pod","Temperature, humidity and pests: heating mats, hydration setups, how to spot and control mites, and why the best setup mimics each species' natural habitat.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fthe_ant_pod_30_the_best_conditions_to_keep_ants.jpg","Podcasts","\u002Fthe-best-conditions-to-keep-ants-the-ant-pod",1791900222253]