# What ants did I see in Portugal?



## Daaaan (Apr 2, 2014)

A couple of years back I was doing a research project in Portugal and there were these remarkably abundant ants that would form very strict trails. They were black in colouration and they possessed minors at approx 8-10mm and some HUGE (in terms of body structure, head structure and jaw structure) to protect the workers - they were probably 2-2.5x the length of the workers, but far more robustly build.. The majors were also extremely aggressive.

If it helps we were working in a fairly arid, bush like area where goats were regularly taken out to feed so I'm guessing there was a fair bit of disturbance

I've searched around on the internet but for the life of me I can't seem to find them. Ever since I did a mini dissertation on ants they've fascinated me and if I can keep this species, I'd be very interested to find out what they actually were!

If anybody needs any more answers let me know 

Thanks


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## DodgemGreaser (Nov 7, 2013)

Not Cataglyphis hispanicus were they


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## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

Most likley _Messor sp_, Harvester ants, quite easy to keep, I have a colony of Messor structor myself  Messor barbarus are easy to come by, I would recomend starting with a colony of 50-100 if you have not kept ants before, the Queens can be timid and may eat brood/eggs if they are not happy, this wont happen if you already have some workers


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## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

DodgemGreaser said:


> Not Cataglyphis hispanicus were they


Cataglyphis arnt particuly polymorphic (diffrent castes, although there is some size variation), awsome ants tho  had a colony of Cataglyphis bicolor for a few years, they are one of my favorite Genus, after Paraponera & Pachycondyla!


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## Ccardoso93 (Apr 14, 2014)

I can't help you with the I.D but I know exactly what you are talking about. I'm from portugal and I can tell you that they are everywhere. You don't get them as much in Lisbon, where I'm from, but if you go to the North by the wine area or the south by the cork area they are a nuisance and their bite is quite nasty too...
Sorry I can't help with the I'D in portugal we just nickname them "formigas gigantes" or giant ants...


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## PurpleHeyze (Aug 7, 2010)

Not good with ants but this may help  Portugal - Antwiki


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