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Interesting behavior


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18 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Jerry - Posted July 11 2017 - 2:46 PM

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Me and my daughter when out last night after dark and we're looking around and found what I believe to be a pavement ant queen in between two mounds along. A crack in our driveway​ workers came up to her and they seemed not to be started they checked each other out and then they whet on there way we then started her and she when down in one of the mounds do queen coe out for a stroll or was she a parasite queen or was she just moving from o nest to a better larger one I know without pictures or I'd on the queen and workers it's kind of tough just wondered what you guys thought

#2 Offline Klassien - Posted July 11 2017 - 7:21 PM

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Ummm, well, it's hard to tell if she was a parasitic queen without a picture. Do you know what species they were?



#3 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted July 11 2017 - 7:55 PM

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Sounds like the queen belonged to that colony. Tetramorium sp. E fly in the early morning. Our only Tetramorium social parasite is a workerless inquiline (Tetramorium atratulum, formerly known as Anergates), about the size of a T. caespitum worker.


Edited by Batspiderfish, July 11 2017 - 7:57 PM.

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If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

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Black lives still matter.


#4 Offline Jerry - Posted July 12 2017 - 7:26 AM

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I knew it would be hard without pictures but thought I might try thought about collecting her but didn't seem right with the possibility of here being the patriarch of that colony

#5 Offline Loops117 - Posted July 12 2017 - 8:32 AM

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I knew it would be hard without pictures but thought I might try thought about collecting her but didn't seem right with the possibility of here being the patriarch of that colony

 

If you only saw a couple ants check her out while she was outside the nest, then she was prolly produced by that colony and did not found it. Did you see if she had wings or not?  It is possible that colony is preparing for a flight and the alates are just coming to the opening to check things out. Other possibility is that she's prolly from another nest, her wings were torn off by opposing colony, and she was being dragged into the nest. When i take my late night/early morning walks, i almost always find at least one Tetramorium queen being dragged off to a nest during this time of year.



#6 Offline Jerry - Posted July 12 2017 - 9:26 AM

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No wing sorry should have mentioned that sooner and she ran into the nest under her own power I was paying close attention to that I have seen queens being carried off
To

#7 Offline Loops117 - Posted July 12 2017 - 10:26 AM

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Ooh, that's very interesting. I don't think she would take an exposed route to a new nest. I also don't think it was a parasitic queen moving into the colony. Do you think you could revisit the colony and perhaps collect a worker or two? Some images would be great.



#8 Offline Jerry - Posted July 12 2017 - 3:02 PM

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I can do my best but there tiny

#9 Offline fANTastic - Posted July 15 2017 - 10:01 PM

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DID YOU KNOW????

 

         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.



#10 Offline fANTastic - Posted July 15 2017 - 10:01 PM

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Tetramorium sp e is a very good starter species. They eat almost everything and they are very resilient. Watch some videos to get some important keeping information.

 

GOOD LUCK  :D  :D  :D


Edited by fANTastic, July 15 2017 - 10:07 PM.


#11 Offline ctantkeeper - Posted July 16 2017 - 8:27 AM

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DID YOU KNOW????

 

         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

I am not trying to cause any trouble, but this post is littered with incorrect information. First, Tetramorium sp.e colonies are either monogyne or pleometrophic, but never polygyne. And second, Tetramorium sp.e workers are monomorphic. When colonies are small in size and are fairly young, they are only able to collect a limited supply of food, leading to the creation of smaller workers with a lighter build (similar to nanitics). However, as the colony expands, the larger workforce becomes capable of gathering a greater amount of food, leading to the creation of larger workers with a heavier build. While developing into a mature colony, workers of multiple size groups may be present. Once the colony reaches maturity, all (or almost all) of the workforce will consist of the larger workers capable of lifting heavier loads and defending the colony in a more effective manner than their smaller counterparts. Just because a worker is somewhat larger, does not make them a "soldier". Although the word soldier is not a technical term, it is best to remember that all "soldiers" (majors with morphological characteristics and behavior that allow them to specialize in defending their respective colonies) are majors, but not all majors are soldiers. Hope I was able to clear things up a bit. Please don't take this as some sort of insult or nit-pick, just trying to help out.


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#12 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted July 16 2017 - 8:32 AM

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DID YOU KNOW????

 

         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

Tetramorium sp.e colonies are either monogyne or pleometrophic, but never polygyne.

Actually, there have been records of Tetramorium caespitum/species e colonies that are polygynous. I think what this user was trying to say was Polymorphic anyways.



#13 Offline ctantkeeper - Posted July 16 2017 - 8:41 AM

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DID YOU KNOW????

 

         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

Tetramorium sp.e colonies are either monogyne or pleometrophic, but never polygyne.

Actually, there have been records of Tetramorium caespitum/species e colonies that are polygynous. I think what this user was trying to say was Polymorphic anyways.

 

Really, I never knew that. My bad. 


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#14 Offline Canadian anter - Posted July 16 2017 - 9:07 AM

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DID YOU KNOW????
 
         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

Tetramorium sp.e colonies are either monogyne or pleometrophic, but never polygyne.
Actually, there have been records of Tetramorium caespitum/species e colonies that are polygynous. I think what this user was trying to say was Polymorphic anyways.
Really, I never knew that. My bad.
But they aren't polymorphic OR polygynous...
Visit us at www.canada-ant-colony.com !

#15 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted July 16 2017 - 9:10 AM

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DID YOU KNOW????
 
         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

Tetramorium sp.e colonies are either monogyne or pleometrophic, but never polygyne.
Actually, there have been records of Tetramorium caespitum/species e colonies that are polygynous. I think what this user was trying to say was Polymorphic anyways.
Really, I never knew that. My bad.
But they aren't polymorphic OR polygynous...

 

http://www.formicult...amorium +queens

 

An ecologist who answered one of my questions said that polygyny has been documented with them.



#16 Offline fANTastic - Posted July 16 2017 - 9:38 AM

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DID YOU KNOW????

 

         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

I am not trying to cause any trouble, but this post is littered with incorrect information. First, Tetramorium sp.e colonies are either monogyne or pleometrophic, but never polygyne. And second, Tetramorium sp.e workers are monomorphic. When colonies are small in size and are fairly young, they are only able to collect a limited supply of food, leading to the creation of smaller workers with a lighter build (similar to nanitics). However, as the colony expands, the larger workforce becomes capable of gathering a greater amount of food, leading to the creation of larger workers with a heavier build. While developing into a mature colony, workers of multiple size groups may be present. Once the colony reaches maturity, all (or almost all) of the workforce will consist of the larger workers capable of lifting heavier loads and defending the colony in a more effective manner than their smaller counterparts. Just because a worker is somewhat larger, does not make them a "soldier". Although the word soldier is not a technical term, it is best to remember that all "soldiers" (majors with morphological characteristics and behavior that allow them to specialize in defending their respective colonies) are majors, but not all majors are soldiers. Hope I was able to clear things up a bit. Please don't take this as some sort of insult or nit-pick, just trying to help out.

 

THanks a lot I learned a lot from you!  :D  :D  :D



#17 Offline ctantkeeper - Posted July 16 2017 - 1:39 PM

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DID YOU KNOW????

 

         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

I am not trying to cause any trouble, but this post is littered with incorrect information. First, Tetramorium sp.e colonies are either monogyne or pleometrophic, but never polygyne. And second, Tetramorium sp.e workers are monomorphic. When colonies are small in size and are fairly young, they are only able to collect a limited supply of food, leading to the creation of smaller workers with a lighter build (similar to nanitics). However, as the colony expands, the larger workforce becomes capable of gathering a greater amount of food, leading to the creation of larger workers with a heavier build. While developing into a mature colony, workers of multiple size groups may be present. Once the colony reaches maturity, all (or almost all) of the workforce will consist of the larger workers capable of lifting heavier loads and defending the colony in a more effective manner than their smaller counterparts. Just because a worker is somewhat larger, does not make them a "soldier". Although the word soldier is not a technical term, it is best to remember that all "soldiers" (majors with morphological characteristics and behavior that allow them to specialize in defending their respective colonies) are majors, but not all majors are soldiers. Hope I was able to clear things up a bit. Please don't take this as some sort of insult or nit-pick, just trying to help out.

 

THanks a lot I learned a lot from you!  :D  :D  :D

 

Thanks :). Glad you liked it!



#18 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted July 23 2017 - 7:15 PM

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DID YOU KNOW????

 

         I'm pretty sure sometimes tetramorium sp e can be polygynous and produce soldiers/woker majors. These soldiers are the size of a queen, but their backs are more flat than boxy like a queen. I've seen these soldiers/woker majors when queen hunting and they look VERY ALIKE. I had to look very closely to see that it was a major worker.

This is describing Pheidole. Tetramorium and Pheidole are quite similar though.


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#19 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted July 23 2017 - 7:17 PM

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Also, workers sometimes break the wings off of a female alate and have her serve as a worker.


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps




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