[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":357},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea":3},{"species":4,"profile":222,"countryNames":259,"lookalikes":275,"similar":281,"posts":336},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":11,"defense":27,"diet":30,"difficulty":33,"dryHumidity":34,"escapeRisk":35,"estimated":36,"experience":40,"extension":41,"finder":42,"founding":43,"growth":44,"guide":34,"hibernation":45,"hibernationMonths":46,"hibernationTemperature":49,"humidity":52,"image":55,"imageCredit":56,"imageHeight":60,"imageWidth":61,"interests":34,"keptSince":34,"legal":62,"lookalikes":65,"majorSize":34,"maxWorkers":69,"meta":70,"nests":71,"nuptialFlightMonths":75,"nuptialFlightTime":78,"nuptialFlightTriggers":34,"polymorphism":79,"queenSize":80,"regions":81,"relatedPosts":83,"reviewedAt":64,"scientificName":87,"sources":88,"stem":207,"subfamily":208,"temperature":209,"tribe":212,"workerSize":213,"__hash__":216,"slug":217,"genus":218,"nickname":219,"aliases":220,"tagline":221},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea.yml","(Latreille, 1798)","monogyne",{"biology":9,"husbandry":10,"nuptialFlight":10},"high","medium",[12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26],"FR","IT","CH","DE","AT","ES","BE","HU","HR","SI","CZ","SK","RO","BG","GR",[28,29],"bite","sting",[31,32],"insects","sugar","4",null,"low",[37,38,39],"hibernationTemperature","nuptialFlightMonths","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"claustral","moderate","recommended",[47,48],11,2,[50,51],8,12,[53,54],50,65,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea.jpg",{"author":57,"license":58,"url":59},"Philipp Hoenle (myrmecophil)","CC0 1.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F73759632",800,1200,{"status":63,"checked":64},"free","2026-10-11",[66,67,68],"Aphaenogaster ichnusa","Tetramorium caespitum","Pheidole pallidula",2000,{},[72,73,74],"ytong","naturalistic","sandwich",[76,77],7,9,"evening","monomorphic",[76,50],[82],"europe",[84,85,86],"how-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial","how-to-hibernate-your-ants","how-to-make-a-ytong-nest","Aphaenogaster subterranea",[89,97,101,105,110,115,119,123,127,131,135,140,145,150,154,158,162,166,170,174,178,182,186,191,195,199,203],{"type":90,"title":91,"url":92,"covers":93},"paper","Schifani et al. (2023), ZooKeys: Unrecognized for centuries, distribution and sexual caste descriptions of the West European Aphaenogaster species of the subterranea group (subterranea versus ichnusa, habitat, rare extra queens, flights in late summer)","https:\u002F\u002Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Farticles\u002FPMC10194075\u002F",[94,95,96],"taxonomy","biology","distribution",{"type":90,"title":98,"url":99,"covers":100},"Galkowski, Aubert and Blatrix (2019), Sociobiology: Aphaenogaster ichnusa Santschi, 1925, bona species, and redescription of Aphaenogaster subterranea (Latreille, 1798) (the split of the two species: spines, sculpturing and color)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoaj.org\u002Farticle\u002F396cb9dc03354700800574b88c9e4d5b",[94],{"type":90,"title":102,"url":103,"covers":104},"Zięcina et al. (2024), Annales Zoologici: Taxonomic revision of the Aphaenogaster subterranea species group","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.3161\u002F00034541ANZ2024.74.2.002",[94,96],{"type":90,"title":106,"url":107,"covers":108},"Maák et al. (2017), Animal Behaviour: Tool selection during foraging in two species of funnel ants (habitat, colonies of 500 to 1500 workers kept in the lab at 24 degrees, tool use)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1016\u002Fj.anbehav.2016.11.005",[95,109],"husbandry",{"type":111,"title":112,"url":113,"covers":114},"reference","AntCat: Aphaenogaster subterranea (Latreille, 1798) (valid species of Myrmicinae, tribe Stenammini; page blocked to bots, checked through the Catalogue of Life, which mirrors AntCat)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcat.org\u002Fcatalog\u002F431282",[94],{"type":111,"title":116,"url":117,"covers":118},"AntWiki: Aphaenogaster subterranea (page blocked to bots, read through search excerpts: range, ichnusa split, no North African records)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antwiki.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAphaenogaster_subterranea",[94,95,96],{"type":111,"title":120,"url":121,"covers":122},"GBIF: Aphaenogaster subterranea (Latreille, 1798) (accepted name, occurrence records by country)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gbif.org\u002Fspecies\u002F1316070",[94,96],{"type":111,"title":124,"url":125,"covers":126},"BWARS: Aphaenogaster subterranea (identification, size, range)","https:\u002F\u002Fbwars.com\u002Fnode\u002F7770",[94,95,96],{"type":111,"title":128,"url":129,"covers":130},"Wikipedia: Aphaenogaster (tribe Stenammini, funnel ants)","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAphaenogaster",[94],{"type":111,"title":132,"url":133,"covers":134},"Alarcon, after Arcos and Fede (2023), key to the Aphaenogaster workers of the Iberian Peninsula (subterranea with elongated spines in the north, ichnusa with short triangular spines in the northeast)","https:\u002F\u002Fpacoalarcon.com\u002Fformicidae\u002Fclaves_aphaenogaster.pdf",[94],{"type":111,"title":136,"url":137,"covers":138},"AntScout: Aphaenogaster subterranea (care sheet compiled from the literature, flight records)","https:\u002F\u002Fantscout.com\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea",[95,109,139],"nuptialFlight",{"type":141,"title":142,"url":143,"covers":144},"careSheet","formicarium.it: Scheda Aphaenogaster subterranea","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fformiche-italiane\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea\u002F",[109,95,96,139],{"type":146,"title":147,"url":148,"covers":149},"forum","formicarium.it forum: allevamento Aphaenogaster subterranea (2013 to 2015, slow founding, colonies kept without a winter rest, flights from late July to mid August)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=7388",[109,95,139],{"type":146,"title":151,"url":152,"covers":153},"formicarium.it forum: Consigli regine sorelle (sister queens of Aphaenogaster subterranea first taken for Tetramorium or Pheidole, so mixed up often)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=1427",[94],{"type":146,"title":155,"url":156,"covers":157},"formicarium.it forum: Diario Aphaenogaster subterranea (a queen found alone under a stone, very slow first brood)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=9613",[109,95],{"type":141,"title":159,"url":160,"covers":161},"Hormigueando: Ficha de cria de Aphaenogaster subterranea","https:\u002F\u002Fhormigueando.com\u002Ffichas-de-cria\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea\u002F",[109,95,139],{"type":141,"title":163,"url":164,"covers":165},"Ameisenhaltung.de: Artenverzeichnis, Aphaenogaster subterranea","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenhaltung.de\u002Fartenverzeichnis\u002Fentry\u002F4-aphaenogaster-subterranea\u002F",[109,95,139],{"type":141,"title":167,"url":168,"covers":169},"Antstore: Aphaenogaster subterranea underground ant","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-South-Europe\u002FAphaenogaster-subterranea-underground-ant.html",[109,95,139],{"type":141,"title":171,"url":172,"covers":173},"Ant Shack: Aphaenogaster subterranea care sheet","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ant-shack.com\u002Fpages\u002Fencyclopedia-entry\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea",[109],{"type":141,"title":175,"url":176,"covers":177},"FormicaMarket: Aphaenogaster subterranea care guide","https:\u002F\u002Fformicamarket.com\u002Fen\u002Fant-database\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea\u002F",[109,95,139],{"type":141,"title":179,"url":180,"covers":181},"ANTonTOP: Aphaenogaster subterranea","https:\u002F\u002Fantontop.com\u002Fants\u002Fhibernating-species\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea\u002F",[109,95],{"type":141,"title":183,"url":184,"covers":185},"Antkeeping.info: Aphaenogaster subterranea (distribution list, flight months)","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea\u002F",[95,96,139],{"type":111,"title":187,"url":188,"covers":189},"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",[190],"legal",{"type":111,"title":192,"url":193,"covers":194},"Antkeeping.info: ant species forbidden in the EU","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Fkeeping-forbidden-in-eu-species\u002F",[190],{"type":111,"title":196,"url":197,"covers":198},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[190],{"type":111,"title":200,"url":201,"covers":202},"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",[190],{"type":111,"title":204,"url":205,"covers":206},"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",[190],"species\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea","Myrmicinae",[210,211],20,26,"Stenammini",[214,215],3,5,"VJMhIq2VtmnDvqJzGLoFVpzzpxB0FzubY5z_FKG5Lbo","aphaenogaster-subterranea","Aphaenogaster","",[],"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.",{"id":223,"title":224,"aliases":220,"body":225,"description":219,"extension":230,"faqs":231,"identification":241,"language":242,"meta":243,"navigation":244,"nickname":219,"notes":245,"path":256,"seo":257,"stem":207,"tagline":221,"__hash__":258},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea.md","Aphaenogaster Subterranea",{"type":226,"value":227,"toc":228},"minimark",[],{"title":219,"searchDepth":48,"depth":48,"links":229},[],"md",[232,235,238],{"question":233,"answer":234},"Is every ant sold as Aphaenogaster subterranea really that species?","Maybe not. Until 2019, Aphaenogaster ichnusa was treated as a Sardinian subspecies of A. subterranea, and the two are still mixed up. A 2023 study found both in Italy and in parts of Spain and France: ichnusa in the warm Mediterranean lowlands, and subterranea mostly higher up or in special microclimates there, but also common at sea level in continental climates. Workers differ in the shape of their spines, while queens and males can only be told apart under a microscope. Keeper sheets do not tell the two apart, so treat the care advice here as a starting point for either species until you know which one you have.",{"question":236,"answer":237},"Where does Aphaenogaster subterranea nest in the wild?","Mostly in the soil under stones, sometimes in rotten logs or leaf litter, in damp, shady broadleaf and pine forests, forest edges and hedgerows. Colonies hold from several hundred up to about two thousand workers. In Italy it is common from the lowlands up into the hills. The German ant database points out that it is on the German Red List, so wild colonies should be left alone there.",{"question":239,"answer":240},"Do Aphaenogaster subterranea workers really use tools?","Yes. Like other Aphaenogaster, they cannot pass liquid food from mouth to mouth and have no stretchy crop, so foragers drop grains of soil, pine needles or bits of sponge into sugar water or honey and carry the soaked items to the nest. In experiments with this species and Aphaenogaster senilis, the ants favored materials that soaked up the most liquid, even artificial ones such as sponge, and only a minority of foragers did it.","Slim, shiny, reddish-brown workers with long yellowish legs and antennae, a pair of spines on the thorax and a waist with a long stalk, like a slimmer Myrmica. The very similar Aphaenogaster ichnusa, found in the same southern European regions, has shorter, stubbier spines.","en",{},true,[246,249,251,254],{"kind":247,"text":248},"tip","Be patient with a young colony: it starts slowly, and keepers report only a handful of workers after the first months, then faster growth once the colony has settled in.",{"kind":247,"text":250},"The workers carry everything they find straight into the nest and cannot pass liquids mouth to mouth. Cut food into small pieces so nothing big rots inside, and put a pinch of clean sand in the nest or beside the sugar water, because they carry liquids on soaked grains.",{"kind":252,"text":253},"watchOut","Do not let the whole nest dry out or swing between extremes. This is a species of damp, shady forests, and the German ant database notes that the colony develops more slowly when it is kept too dry, so keep a damp zone for the brood.",{"kind":247,"text":255},"Give the shy foragers cover, such as leaf litter or bark on the floor of the outworld. They are mostly active at dusk and at night, and in the wild they hunt among dead leaves, so do not expect much activity under bright light.","\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-subterranea",{"description":219},"gOL70fDvm4Toa3FIMyg1ezicbzNlBB91ZUtNElY6RRQ",[260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274],"Austria","Belgium","Bulgaria","Croatia","Czechia","France","Germany","Greece","Hungary","Italy","Romania","Slovakia","Slovenia","Spain","Switzerland",[276,277,279],{"name":66,"slug":34},{"name":67,"slug":278},"tetramorium-caespitum",{"name":68,"slug":280},"pheidole-pallidula",[282,301,316],{"slug":283,"scientificName":284,"genus":218,"nickname":219,"aliases":285,"tagline":286,"image":287,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":288,"workerSize":289,"majorSize":34,"queenSize":290,"temperature":292,"hibernation":45,"hibernationTemperature":295,"hibernationBand":297,"sizeClass":10,"founding":298,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":299},"aphaenogaster-senilis","Aphaenogaster senilis",[],"A long-legged, restless hunter that spreads by splitting its colony instead of flying, and carries liquid food home on bits of debris.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Faphaenogaster-senilis.jpg","3",[215,76],[50,291],10,[293,294],21,27,[51,296],16,"mild","fission",[82,300],"northAfrica",{"slug":302,"scientificName":303,"genus":304,"nickname":219,"aliases":305,"tagline":306,"image":307,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":308,"majorSize":34,"queenSize":309,"temperature":310,"hibernation":311,"hibernationTemperature":312,"hibernationBand":313,"sizeClass":10,"founding":43,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":314},"camponotus-lateralis","Camponotus lateralis","Camponotus",[],"A small, shy carpenter ant with a red head and a black gaster that passes itself off as an acrobat ant and shadows its trails to find food.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-lateralis.jpg",[214,76],[50,291],[293,294],"required",[50,51],"cool",[82,300,315],"middleEast",{"slug":317,"scientificName":318,"genus":304,"nickname":319,"aliases":320,"tagline":321,"image":322,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":323,"majorSize":325,"queenSize":326,"temperature":329,"hibernation":45,"hibernationTemperature":332,"hibernationBand":313,"sizeClass":333,"founding":43,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":334},"camponotus-japonicus","Camponotus japonicus","Japanese carpenter ant",[],"A sturdy, matte-black giant of East Asian fields and parks that builds up slowly, yet can follow the same queen for many years.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-japonicus.jpg",[324,51],6,14,[327,328],15,18,[330,331],22,28,[50,51],"large",[335],"asia",[337,344,350],{"id":338,"title":339,"description":340,"image":341,"categoryText":342,"path":343},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial.md","How To Make a Test Tube Setup - Ant Keeping Basics","In this tutorial you will learn how to make a test tube setup, the best way to create the optimal environment for a newly mated queen ant!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_test_tube_setup_tutorial_new.png","Ant Keeping Basics","\u002Fhow-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial",{"id":345,"title":346,"description":347,"image":348,"categoryText":342,"path":349},"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","\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants",{"id":351,"title":352,"description":353,"image":354,"categoryText":355,"path":356},"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",1791900222447]