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Ant photography thread


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#221 Offline CoolColJ - Posted September 17 2018 - 2:39 AM

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Strobe ant feeds on cricket bit, while sentry looks on :)

 


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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#222 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted September 17 2018 - 9:49 AM

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Your majesty:

PELcFxz.jpg

Which species is this?

 

Stigmatomma pallipes


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#223 Offline DaveJay - Posted September 17 2018 - 10:21 AM

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Your majesty:

PELcFxz.jpg

Which species is this?
Stigmatomma pallipes
Thanks, it's a cool looking ant! An interesting hunter too by what I've read just now.
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#224 Offline CoolColJ - Posted September 21 2018 - 9:16 PM

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Pics of the 8mm green Rhytidoponera queen I found today.

Even in the shade she looks green, but her gaster is iridescent under light, gold green.

I see she has some blue/purple on her as well

I guess you could say she looks like a R.metallica, but I think she is larger than one of those.


click to enlarge


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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#225 Offline CoolColJ - Posted September 26 2018 - 8:55 PM

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Nasutitermes fumigatus/dixoni subterranean termites
 
click to enlarge




Edited by CoolColJ, September 26 2018 - 8:56 PM.

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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#226 Offline CoolColJ - Posted September 26 2018 - 9:00 PM

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Another 7-8mm "green" Rhytidoponera queen I found today in my backyard :)
 
click to enlarge

 

 

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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#227 Offline CoolColJ - Posted September 30 2018 - 1:31 AM

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ever seen condensation on a queen? well now you have! :o

click to enlarge


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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#228 Offline Major - Posted September 30 2018 - 8:21 AM

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ever seen condensation on a queen? well now you have! :oclick to enlargehttps://i.imgur.com/YJI0chs.jpg


One time I accidentally "sighed" on a Crematogaster Lineolata queen and she had some condensation haha.
:lol:

#229 Offline CoolColJ - Posted October 1 2018 - 12:39 AM

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Another Rhytidoponera queen I found in my backyard a few days ago.

She is about 7-8mm, so on the big side, but when I first captured her, she appeared to have a blue and purple iridescence on her gaster vs gold in my other green Rhytiodponera queens.
But look at that gaster shape - so different to my other queens. So I'm pretty sure this is a different species, and definitely not a R.metallica or R.aspera!

click to enlarge


look at the gaster tip, which drone wouldn't want a piece of that!? :P

Edited by CoolColJ, October 1 2018 - 12:50 AM.

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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#230 Offline CoolColJ - Posted October 10 2018 - 3:14 AM

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Camponotus suffusus bendigensis queen

Well she is certainly different from my other 2 dead suffusus queens, she is a subspecies of suffusus actually.
The maroon patch on her thorax is much more clear and distinct, as are her red legs, but no red on her head.
The other queens I had, were mostly black looking, with a hint of maroon on the thorax and head in bright light.
The gold hairs on her gaster are on the top part vs on the lower part of a regular suffusus

Her workers will have the same colour differences to a regular suffusus

She measured 17-18mm


click to enlarge







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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#231 Offline CoolColJ - Posted October 16 2018 - 9:04 PM

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Pics of one of the Myrmecia nigrocincta queens I have here, for now :)

They have quite a lot of personality, a lot more pet like, like a cat/dog compared to other ants.
Their good eyesight helps, much like my strobe ants

These are quite timid and docile for now :D

click to enlarge



Edited by CoolColJ, October 16 2018 - 9:07 PM.

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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#232 Offline CoolColJ - Posted October 19 2018 - 6:39 PM

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Aphaenogaster longiceps 12-13mm queen

click to enlarge




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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#233 Offline FSTP - Posted October 19 2018 - 9:27 PM

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I love a nice round gaster.



#234 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted October 20 2018 - 9:25 AM

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CoolColJ, please post the lenses and settings you used (if its not too much trouble). Aspiring newbie macro photographers want to emulate you!



#235 Offline CoolColJ - Posted October 20 2018 - 2:06 PM

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CoolColJ, please post the lenses and settings you used (if its not too much trouble). Aspiring newbie macro photographers want to emulate you!


lenses and settings I use won't make much sense unless you use the same sensor format I use :)
Pansonic G85 - Micro 4/3 sensor size

In any case I have 2 lenses I use - they are quite similar, 45mm Pana Leica macro lens and Olympus 60mm macro lens.
For the former, I bought second hand for much cheaper otherwise it is very expensive, I use a 10mm to 16mm lens extension tube with it to get more magnification.
For the second lens, since it has a larger focal length, Raynox 250 strap on works better for magnification.
The first option has greater depth of field, Raynox seems cut depth of field in half.

Camera settings - I normally bounce between f11 to f16 aperture, the later cuts down the light tremendously, but gives greater depth of field, and slightly less sharp image.
shutter speed 1/1000-1300 for F11, 1/500-800 for F16. This all depends on the scene and how much light is bouncing around.
This is just to freeze the motion of ants and keep motion blur when I shoot hand held to a minimum.
I typical set the shutter speed to under exposure slightly and brighten up when editing later

To use these type of setting in a macro situation, you will need a powerful external flash, pointed directly down towards the front of the lens.
I've tried a lot of ways to mount this, the easiest is just a heavy duty ball head on the flash mount that you can angle the flash as you desire.
The other ways are strapping an articulating arm onto a plate screwed into the tripod mount and you can move the flash where you want etc

Since it's so close you will need to heavily diffuse it as well, I just stack and rubber band a bunch of paper foam over the lens, or a layer of kitchen tissue paper.
Each material has a different look and effect on the light, experimenting is needed.
I sometimes use the wide angle mode on the flash, popping down it's diffuser, softens the light a bit more, but not so good in test tubes.

I also added a quick release plate to the tripod mount and add small gorilla pod tripod thing to hold onto or butt against a surface to stabilize the camera when needed.
Like when your leaning against a table top etc.
When out in the field having a stick you can hold onto while you brace the camera helps.
You can also attach a string to the tripod mount, and the other end to the ground, attached to something you can put your foot on and then tension the string to stabilize the camera,
works better than expected :)
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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#236 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted October 20 2018 - 5:13 PM

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Many thanks!
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#237 Offline CoolColJ - Posted October 20 2018 - 6:47 PM

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Heterotermes termite queen and king pairing


click to enlarge

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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#238 Offline CoolColJ - Posted October 23 2018 - 9:24 PM

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14mm Pheidole cf antipodum queen with her brood. Some are tiny nanitic pupa, and some larger larvae, possibly nanitic majors :)

click to enlarge


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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#239 Offline CoolColJ - Posted November 8 2018 - 2:48 AM

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Sweet little bundle of joy she is, this Myrmecia fulvipes queen, I almost want to pat and stroke her... but yeah she would sting me :D
She measures 17-18mm.
So not only does she look like a Camponotus suffusus bendingesis, she also measures around the same :)

https://imgur.com/CT2OmpB


click to enlarge



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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#240 Offline CoolColJ - Posted November 8 2018 - 2:50 AM

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click to enlarge




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Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/





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