Latin name: Prenolepis nitens

Taxonomy: Subfamily: Formicinae, Tribe: Lasiini

Breeding level: Beginner

Geographical distribution: South-East of Europe, North of Italy, Austria, East of Germany.

Habitat: Open forests and forest edges.

Colony form: Monogyne

Queen: Size: 9 - 10mm Color: Brown / light brown head and thorax. The yellowish brown gas more or less clear depending on the colonies.

Workers: Size: 3 - 4mm Color: honey, red / brown

Major: NO not in this species.

Male: Size: 5mm Color: Black

Food: Honeydew and insects: such as flies, mealworms, mosquitoes and small locusts.

Humidity: Hunting area: 30 - 50% Nest: 50 - 70%

Temperature: Hunting ground: 21 - 30 ° C Nest: 21-26 ° C

Hibernation: Yes, from the end of October to the end of February between 8 and 12 ° C

Type of nest: Plaster tubes connected to a hunting area for young colonies and then a reconstructed stone nest.

Description: This European ant, also called honey jar ant, owes its nickname to the fact that workers can, like Myrmecocystus, store large reserves of honeydew harvested during their outings.
Which makes it very interesting to observe.

Development: Swarming from the end of March to the end of May.

Foundation: Takes place in a claustral way (without food)
Development: 40 days from egg to worker (depending on temperature)

Colony size Up to 20,000 individuals.