7 replies to this topic

[ImAMadIrishMan]

Last request was too easy. Hopefully this one is a bit harder.

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Wellington Point, Qld. https://goo.gl/maps/XfCiBW7ZVViH3U3K7
2. Date of collection: 16/04/2019
3. Habitat of collection: Suburban, 1/2 acre mixed vegetation (20% trees, 40% ground cover, 40% grass)
4. Length (from head to gaster): Worker ants less than 2mm, Queen 3.5mm.
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Worker Tan and dullish, wood like patterns on head and thorax. Queen a lot darker with blackish body and translucent legs.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Barbs on thorax, two petiole nodes, passive and docile, doesn't bite or sting. Queen doesn't have barbs on body

7. Distinguishing behaviour: Scavengers. Once food source is found, numbers increase slowly and spread out.
8. Nest description: Unknown. 

9. Nuptial flight time and date: Possibly today. First time i have a seen a queen.

 

Photos here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskTRgRBq

[Martialis]

See post below

Edited by Martialis, April 18 2019 - 5:16 AM.

[EthanNgo678]

Wasmannia auropunctata

[ImAMadIrishMan]

Little fire ant? Hmm. I see where it fits for the description and appearance. But this little fella is extremely passive and doesn't seem to bite or sting. Put one on the inside of my arm to see if he would do something. Nothing. They are quite sluggish movers too. What other data do I need to collect? More photos?

[ImAMadIrishMan]

Was the queen I collected with them at the same time from a different species? Because she is quite different looking to the examples of the Wasmannia auropunctata queen I have seen so far.

[EthanNgo678]

Your queen could just be more docile than other queens.

[ponerinecat]

queen looks like pheidole to me

[ImAMadIrishMan]

Thank you @ponerinecat. The picture of Pheidole fervens here looks close to the workers. However it is stated that this genus is "distinguished by their discrete major and minor workers". I have only ever seen one size of worker.