4 replies to this topic

[NickAnter]

Despite finding Formica perpilosa in abundance near my house, the queens, and flights for that matter have proved impossibly elusive. I am currently camping in the Eastern Sierras, and that means I have some new journals to start, and old ones to resurrect. I found a Formica perpilosa (or manni) in a cow pasture/meadow near a creek, under a rock. She had about 7 larvae, of which I was able to recover 5. As I was walking back towards camp, I found her about a mile away, I found a bunch more rocks in a little depression right next to the creek. There, I found a perfectly jet black and shiny Formica lasiodes/neogagates queen. Interestingly, she is quite a bit larger than the perpilosa. She has also kept her wings, and had no brood that I could see. There are many neogagates group Formica color variations around here, especially in the queens, so I'm not sure which species she is. If I recall correctly, it isn't too hard to distinguish the workers, so Ill just wait for them. I'm hoping to find more soon, the rocks in this meadow had a remarkable number of colonies and queens under them, so I imagine there will be more on the other side of the creek. Ill ad pictures later. I expect the perpilosa to get workers in a couple weeks. Ill update it then, or when the dark queen lays eggs, or if I find more queens.

[NickAnter]

I was able to ID the black queen as lasiodes, based on the absence of erect hairs on the scape. And sadly the perpilosa ate two larvae. I also gave her some substrate, since one of her larvae sort of looked like it was trying to pupate.

[NickAnter]

I found 3 more queens. One dark one of the same species as before, and 2 of a different species. They have a red mesosoma and black gaster, with a blackish redish head. One queen has 3 pupae, and 2 look like they will eclose in a couple days. I have posted all 3 species on iNat if you want to see pictures. And I was wrong, turns out none of the neogagates around here have hairs on the scapes

[NickAnter]

The queen with the pupae got a worker today. Not through her own volition however, I had to open the pupa myself. The worker was already completely black, as you can see in the images. Hopefully the worker will offset the complete lack of maternal ability she possesses.

 

 

 

Also, the perpilosa larvae are pupating, and the other queen of the same sp. as the one that got the worker has laid 4 eggs, all but one today.

[NickAnter]

OK, that queen proceeded to lose all 3 workers due to god knows what, lay more eggs, and get another worker. This worker seems fine.

 

The four-egg queen also has a worker.

 

The other queen, which I am now doubting is perpilosa, got a worker, and it is the exact same color as the one showed above. Very strange. I'm hoping she makes red workers eventually, and this is just a weird nanitic thing. Here are some pictures of her, which truly don't do her color justice.

 

Oh yeah and the larger jet black queen is still alive, so perhaps she will get workers next year. I'm going to probably put her in hibernation today.

Edited by NickAnter, September 24 2022 - 9:17 AM.