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Boulder, Colorado

queen ant july nuptial flight

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#1 Offline NewAntWonder - Posted August 14 2019 - 12:20 AM

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Hey everyone,

 

I collected this sweetheart scurrying across my kitchen floor about three weeks ago at the end of July. There appears to be a nest located in the wall between my kitchen and bathroom. Here is a picture of some of the workers from the wall nest, collecting a seed.
 

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Boulder, Colorado.
2. Date of collection: July 22
3. Habitat of collection: Urban-indoors, Kitchen floor, evening.
4. Length (from head to gaster): 7 mm Queen, 1 mm workers
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark black head and gastor, brown legs
6. Distinguishing characteristics: ??
7. Distinguishing behavior: Accepts honey
8. Nest description: 

9. Nuptial flight time and date: I am assuming she mated sometime in the morning and then scurried out at night from the wall because she didn't have her wings anymore when I found her and she was fertile. I read that Tetramorium colonies can have multiple queens, so can they also mate in the nest??

I am inclined to believe she is a Tetramorium caespitum queen but I am not entirely sure. I read that Tetramorium are full-claustral but she has accepted honey I have given her. I am keeping her in a small needle box that I put a damp cottonball and a drop of honey in. I have to change the cotton for black mold about every two days, and I don't want to keep disturbing her. This is the first queen ant I have ever caught and I just want to make sure she is strong, safe, and healthy. Any advice for a new poster and a new ant keeper would be really awesome.

Cheers

 

 



#2 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 14 2019 - 7:09 AM

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Tetramorium immigrans. Fully claustral, fast growing, and easy to keep!
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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#3 Offline Manitobant - Posted August 14 2019 - 10:45 AM

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I agree with tetramorium immigrans. They are a very easy species for beginners.

#4 Offline NewAntWonder - Posted August 14 2019 - 11:16 AM

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Awesome! Thanks for the replies!







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