12 replies to this topic

[aqandres4]

Body:
1. Location of collection: Hialeah, FL, US.
2. 08/23/2016
3.When I found her, she was on a sidewalk made out of cement on the side of a wall. It looked like she was resting.
4. She's about half an inch. (12.7 mm.)
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Her gaster is black, while her head, thorax, and waist is a red color.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Her length is about 12.7 mm.
7. Anything else distinctive: She has wings, a big gaster, and once again, a big size (12.7 mm).
8. Pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, for some reason, she's alive but she's not moving at all. She's had this same behavior a few seconds after I put her in the test tube.

 

Another thing, if you look closely, one of her mandibles looks odd.

Edited by aqandres4, August 24 2016 - 2:09 PM.

[XZero38]

I would try to get some pictures of her head

 

It would make identifying her much easier

Edited by XZero38, August 24 2016 - 12:31 PM.

[aqandres4]

Thank you, while I'm going to try that, may someone please tell me if I should take my queen off the tube if the cotton blocking the water is soaked? I accidentally pushed it down to the point where it got completely soaked..

Edited by aqandres4, August 24 2016 - 1:47 PM.

[Mdrogun]

I think this might be Camponotus americanus or Camponotus floridanus, I'm not too sure though.

[aqandres4]

I think this might be Camponotus americanus or Camponotus floridanus, I'm not too sure though.

 

I think it's looks more like Camponotus floridanus. It does look similar and they have their nuptial flights on August. I don't think that any other Camponotus species that has nuptial flights on August looks more similar than Camponotus floridanus does. I'll just wait and see for an answer just to verify. Thanks for your help!

 

I would try to get some pictures of her head

 

It would make identifying her much easier

 

I have just updated this thread! I hope this will help, thanks!

Edited by aqandres4, August 24 2016 - 2:16 PM.

[YawningGull]

You want the queens side of the cotton ball to be wet. If the cotton ball is soaked that's ok. There are even tutorials online that tell you to fill the tube completely with water, stuff the ball halfway and pour out the excess. What I do and what I assume most people do is shove the ball in until you see some moisture coming out of the queens side of the ball.

[aqandres4]

You want the queens side of the cotton ball to be wet. If the cotton ball is soaked that's ok. There are even tutorials online that tell you to fill the tube completely with water, stuff the ball halfway and pour out the excess. What I do and what I assume most people do is shove the ball in until you see some moisture coming out of the queens side of the ball.

 

Thank you! Just to make sure, it still isn't a problem if a little stream of water is connected to the other cotton, right? It's not a lot, just a little.

[Mdrogun]

 

I think this might be Camponotus americanus or Camponotus floridanus, I'm not too sure though.

 

I think it's looks more like Camponotus floridanus. It does look similar and they have their nuptial flights on August. I don't think that any other Camponotus species that has nuptial flights on August looks more similar than Camponotus floridanus does. I'll just wait and see for an answer just to verify. Thanks for your help!

 

I would try to get some pictures of her head

 

It would make identifying her much easier

 

I have just updated this thread! I hope this will help, thanks!

 

Just an FYI colors and flight times in ants do vary and in some cases, they vary a lot. Take the 70 Solenopsis molesta queens i caught for example, some are yellow,orange, orange with a black dot, yellow with black dot, yellow/orange with a black gaster and yellow/orange with a red gaster and there are more color varieties than that, I also caught these queens in a 2 month period. Things like when the ant was caught and its colors are helpful but they should never be the deciding factor in an ID, instead look at the physical parts of the ant like how many antennae segments they have, how many spines are on the petiole.

 

 

 

You want the queens side of the cotton ball to be wet. If the cotton ball is soaked that's ok. There are even tutorials online that tell you to fill the tube completely with water, stuff the ball halfway and pour out the excess. What I do and what I assume most people do is shove the ball in until you see some moisture coming out of the queens side of the ball.

 

Thank you! Just to make sure, it still isn't a problem if a little stream of water is connected to the other cotton, right? It's not a lot, just a little.

 

I don't think this will be a problem with a larger queen but i've had smaller queens (Tapinoma sessile, Brachymyrmex depilis, Solenopsis molesta) drown when the cotton is soaked.

[aqandres4]

When I came to check on this Camponotus queen today, I saw her dead. I still have my Brachymyrmex patagonicus, though.

 

Here's the link my journal which I am planning on updating soon, if you're interested:

 

http://www.formicult...6/?hl=aqandres4

Edited by aqandres4, August 25 2016 - 3:18 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

When I came to check on this Camponotus queen today, I saw her dead. I still have my Brachymyrmex patagonicus, though.

 

Here's the link my journal which I am planning on updating soon, if you're interested:

 

http://www.formicult...6/?hl=aqandres4

 

The behavior you described was similar to what my Camponotus novaeboracensis did while she was being parasitized by fly larvae. If you keep the corpse for a week or so, you might see some emerge.

[aqandres4]

 

When I came to check on this Camponotus queen today, I saw her dead. I still have my Brachymyrmex patagonicus, though.

 

Here's the link my journal which I am planning on updating soon, if you're interested:

 

http://www.formicult...6/?hl=aqandres4

 

The behavior you described was similar to what my Camponotus novaeboracensis did while she was being parasitized by fly larvae. If you keep the corpse for a week or so, you might see some emerge.

 

 

Well, I guess I'll wait to see what happens, then. I'll try to notify you here the results. I did read this earlier, I'm just replying late.

[Canadian anter]

Personally, I would burn it

[Batspiderfish]

Once my flies pupated, I think they died. Either that, or they are trying to synchronize their eclosure with one of the Camponotus mating events. I definitely wouldn't worry about them becoming a problem for your captive ants.

Edited by Batspiderfish, August 27 2016 - 5:17 PM.