Harpegnathos saltator
The ants of the Harpegnathos saltator species are close relatives of the Venator, but very rare, found only in India and Sri Lanka. Ants are predatory, aggressive, large up to 20 mm, with a bright appearance, yellow head and body, and an even rarer subspecies Harpegnathos saltator cruentatus with a black head is also found.
There can be a large number of gamergates in the nest, since fertilization occurs without flying, and males fertilize workers from their own colony. An important difference between the species is that all fertilized individuals can lay eggs, but the development of an egg to an ant takes a lot of time, about 3 months.
In the native environment, the number of individuals in an anthill is about 50-150 ants, Harpegnathos saltator anthills are created in the ground under bushes or in the fields.
Ants feed only on medium-sized live insects; when keeping a house, we recommend feeding them with Turkmen cockroaches. It is not necessary to install the drinker in the formicaria.
Like Harpegnathos venator, Harpegnathos saltator live in gypsum formicaria, the humidity in the nest should be 99%, in the arena 60-80%, the temperature is 25-28 degrees. And as a filler, instead of the usual substrate, coconut flakes mixed with sand are suitable. The Harpegnathos saltator colony can be settled in the Ponerinae House formicarium. Wintering is also not required.