20 replies to this topic

[Etherwulf]

Location: Johor, Malaysia

Time: 8pm after a rainstorm

 

These were all collected over two days of heavy rainstorms at dusk. I didn't put in much effort in finding them because they were literally everywhere. I think I've taken lazy anting to an art form. Seriously, one of the huge Camponotus was crawling across my living room when I caught her.

 

???

~4mm

 

I was stupid to assume that this species was polygynous. After introducing another one, it tried to kill the current inhabitant. Fortunately , I got the other one out before any real damage was done.

 

 

 

 

 

Pheidologeton diversus

 

22mm

 

I caught two of these dealates following the death of a previous alate. This one partially shed its wings. Right now, I have them in dirt setups because from my previous experience, test tubes do not agree with them.

 

I apologise for the blurry images. She refused to stand still for a photo.

 

 

 

 

Camponotus auriventris

11mm

 

Gaster has a faint tinge of gold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camponotus truncatus (Colobopsis group).

 

12mm

 

 

 

Proatta butteli

 

7mm

 

I caught a lot of alates but I don't think I've actually seen a dealate before. Most of them never laid eggs.

 

 

 

Also caught:

 

Anoplolepis gracilipes 

 

\

 

 

I didn't collect several Pheidole sp. and Solenopsis geminata. gynes. I missed the Odontomachus flight and the Oecophylla flight sadly but I think I have my hands rather full right now.

 

I caught several Tapinoma queens but they died the next day.

Edited by Etherwulf, April 7 2015 - 3:42 AM.

[dspdrew]

Funny how much Anoplolepis gracilipes look like Myrmecocystus.

[Miles]

Funny how much Anoplolepis gracilipes look like Myrmecocystus.

You are right. They look remarkably similar! Especially in the gaster and head.

[dean_k]

What can I say? Yummy.

 

Especially that Anoplolepis gracilipes is a beauty

[Myrmicinae]

Camponotus sp. (Unlikely to be gigas.)

 

22mm

 

I caught two of these dealates following the death of a previous alate. This one partially shed its wings. Right now, I have them in dirt setups because from my previous experience, test tubes do not agree with them.

 

I apologise for the blurry images. She refused to stand still for a photo.

 

 

 

These are Pheidologeton, or, more accurately, Carebara, now that the taxonomy has changed.

Edited by Myrmicinae, April 2 2015 - 10:31 AM.

[Myrmicinae]

Aphaenogaster sp.?

7mm

I caught a lot of alates but I don't think I've actually seen a dealate before. Most of them never laid eggs.

These red and gray queens might be Proatta butteli.

Also, I would say that the first (yellow) queen is Solenopsis, not Pheidole.

Edited by Myrmicinae, April 2 2015 - 10:58 AM.

[Jonathan21700]

Nice queens! The first one is not Pheidole more likely Solenopsis as Myrmicinae said. The third one may be some kind of Dolichoderinae but I'm not sure. For the fifth ones they might be Meranoplus sp. queens.

[Myrmicinae]

Nice queens! The first one is not Pheidole more likely Solenopsis as Myrmicinae said. The third one may be some kind of Dolichoderinae but I'm not sure. For the fifth ones they might be Meranoplus sp. queens.

 

I agree that Meranoplus is probably a better guess for number 5.  However, number 3 looks like Camponotus to me. 

Edited by Myrmicinae, April 2 2015 - 4:59 PM.

[cpman]

#3 looks more Formicine than Dolichoderine to me as well. It could very well be Polyrhachis as this genus is very close to Camponotus. I also agree that #1 is Solenopsis, not Pheidole. Pheidole queens have a very distinct shape to them.

 

Edited by cpman, April 2 2015 - 5:03 PM.

[Etherwulf]

Thank you for the corrections. I can't believe I thought that was Camponotus.

[Gregory2455]

 

Camponotus sp. (Unlikely to be gigas.)

 

22mm

 

I caught two of these dealates following the death of a previous alate. This one partially shed its wings. Right now, I have them in dirt setups because from my previous experience, test tubes do not agree with them.

 

I apologise for the blurry images. She refused to stand still for a photo.

 

 

 

These are Pheidologeton, or, more accurately, Carebara, now that the taxonomy has changed.

 

I was going to point out this wasn't Camponotus, but instead a Myrmicinae genus, but you beat me.

[Gregory2455]

Are some Solenopsis queens really 4mm?

[dspdrew]

Yeah, if you look close, you can see there are spines on the first queen, so it's not Solenopsis.

[Servercheck]

For the first queen, check out Oligomyrmex sp. Here's one I caught last year I believe.

 

The gold tinged one is a Camponotus sp. There's a few possibilities, but I think Camponotus dolendus might be a good match. Same as the colony I gave away early this year.

[Jonathan21700]

For the first queen, check out Oligomyrmex sp. Here's one I caught last year I believe.

 

The gold tinged one is a Camponotus sp. There's a few possibilities, but I think Camponotus dolendus might be a good match. Same as the colony I gave away early this year.

It can't be Oligomyrmex because ant number one is a myrmicine. It has a two segment petiole.

[Jonathan21700]

Thank you for the corrections. I can't believe I thought that was Camponotus.

Just look at the petiole. Camponotus are formicinae ants they have a one segment petiole.

Can you give more pictures of ant number 3?

[Servercheck]

 

For the first queen, check out Oligomyrmex sp. Here's one I caught last year I believe.

 

The gold tinged one is a Camponotus sp. There's a few possibilities, but I think Camponotus dolendus might be a good match. Same as the colony I gave away early this year.

It can't be Oligomyrmex because ant number one is a myrmicine. It has a two segment petiole.

 

Oops, thanks for pointing that out! That picture isn't Oligomyrmex sp. ( Got to sort out my pictures soon... ) I found my old pictures of Oligomyrmex sp. but the quality sucked, so do a search on Google...

[Gregory2455]

Please make a journal for the Pheidologeton.

[Jonathan21700]

Oligomyrmex is a synonym of Carebara. Right? Yeah, Pheidologeton are amazing!

[dspdrew]

You said you missed the Odontomachus and Oecophylla flights. Do you know approximately when they happened?