Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Two queens from central Europe on August 2nd 2019

queen id

Best Answer ponerinecat , August 2 2019 - 3:21 PM

They are some sort of polyergus. Really difficult to raise, as they are a slave raiding species and cannot sustain or even feed themselves.

Go to the full post


  • Please log in to reply
6 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Quizzie - Posted August 2 2019 - 11:53 AM

Quizzie

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 39 posts
We caught two more queens today. Sorry for spamming this section recently, but we've been lucky these few days!
I have no idea what they are. They have very different coloration, but otherwise look the same
 
Location of collection: Czech Republic
Date of collection: August 2nd 2019
Habitat of collection: park on city edge
Length: 9-11 mm (one is slightly bigger)

Coloration: red head and thorax, gaster is silver in the first and red in the other queen

Texture: shiny; slightly hairy gaster

 

nqQNgwP.jpg

 

0aBicjd.jpg


  • dermy likes this

Formica cinerea (queen of 2018)

Formica rufibarbis (queen of 2019)

Formica pratensis? (queen of 2020)


#2 Offline Acutus - Posted August 2 2019 - 12:15 PM

Acutus

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 835 posts
  • LocationMaryland

I have no idea but they are AWESOME looking ants for sure!! :D


  • Guy_Fieri likes this

Billy

 

Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

Camponotus castaneus

Formica subsericea


#3 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 2 2019 - 3:21 PM   Best Answer

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

They are some sort of polyergus. Really difficult to raise, as they are a slave raiding species and cannot sustain or even feed themselves.



#4 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 2 2019 - 3:25 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

If you really want to raise them, you will need a portion of a formica colony with workers and brood. You will also need to supply the colony with formica brood whenever they need new slaves. Once the colony is founded, the loss of their formica slaves will mean death unless you can artificially hatch a worker(Which is not that hard.).



#5 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 2 2019 - 3:27 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

They are really rewarding to raise, though, and fascinating to watch. Some people have reported slave rebellions and polyergus workers supressing or being swarmed by the rebellion.



#6 Offline Acutus - Posted August 2 2019 - 6:19 PM

Acutus

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 835 posts
  • LocationMaryland
Sounds like an Ants game of thrones!

Billy

 

Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

Camponotus castaneus

Formica subsericea


#7 Offline Quizzie - Posted August 2 2019 - 9:40 PM

Quizzie

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 39 posts

Wow, thank you! So it must be Polyergus rufescens, though we caught pretty dark ones (especially the first). There's no other Polyergus species here.

 

I don't feel like raising slave-raiders, so they'll be going back into the wild. Though they do look awesome!


  • Acutus likes this

Formica cinerea (queen of 2018)

Formica rufibarbis (queen of 2019)

Formica pratensis? (queen of 2020)






Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: queen id

1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users