Paraponera clavata
| Latin Name: |  |
Paraponera clavata |
| Trivialname: |  |
Bulletant |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Paraponerinae Tribe: Paraponerini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(2) show higher requirements to climate and escapeprevention |
| Distribution: |  |
Central and South America |
| Habitat: |  |
low land rainforest and wetforest up to 1000m |
| Colonyform: |  |
monogyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 25 - 30mm Colour: reddish brown to reddish black, golden hairs on the fronttarsi, bulky thorax |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 20 - 28mm Colour: reddish brown to reddish black, golden hairs on there fronttarsi |
| Soldier: |  |
not present |
| Males: |  |
Size: 18 - 20mm Colour: bright orange |
| Nutrition |  |
up to 90% Honey and Sugarwater, Fruits, small insects like Houseflies and crickets, as nectarcollecting ants they prefer risen feeding places. |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 30 - 50% Nestpart: 50 - 70% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 21 - 30°C Nestpart: 25 - 30°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
no |
| Nestform: |  |
mainly nest in soil but also arboreal nests occur |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Farm, Farmbasin, Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder, Ytong/Plasternest, Digfix |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: L - XL |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: Sand-Loam, humus Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam, humus |
| Planting: |  |
similar to tropical rainforest with different epiphyts, nectarproducing plants |
| Decoration: |  |
Branches, Roots, leaves, Climbing possibilities |
| Description: |  |
Most people know these ants through the stories about their painful sting. But they are also one of the most ancient and beautiful ants in the world. Even when they are very hard to keep. Especialy the founding is very hard and many things about there neststructure is still unsolved. They are peaceful and show no aggression against other living beings. When they were disturbed Paraponera starts to make some noise with their legs. They are single foragers on low vegetation and in the canopy. Paraponera is a nocturnal ant which starts foraging after dusk. As nectarcollecting Ants they prefer higher standing feeding places. Feedingplaces on the ground are often ignored. |
| Development: |  |
matingflight: founding: semiclaustral (without feeding), often pleometrosis colonysize: most times about 500 workers but sometimes up to 2000 Individuals |
| Quantity: |  |
one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Forum - Reference |