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Tiny and Unusual


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14 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Quintessence - Posted February 18 2021 - 6:54 AM

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I have a new colony of tiny ants which may need special care as their characteristics may be non-standard.
 
I caught the queen indoors – in an air-conditioned room. She could have flown in through a window, of course, but it does seem an unlikely place. Only 5 mm long, and I have normally ignored small queens, but having not caught queens for a long time, I tried my luck. The first time I noticed births, there were 6 nanitics, about 1.5 mm long.
 
Why is this species unusual? Unlike my other colonies, the queen and brood do not crave humidity. They started life in a tooth-pick container, and the queen laid her eggs in the green cap rather than near the cotton wool. The picture shows the only time I have seen the queen leave the cap, and it was only to sample the honey, not fill herself with it. She stays there with her brood, yes, away from the water supply. How odd. Sometimes one or two workers go for a drink of water, so it’s still necessary.
 
20210214_1325151.jpg
 
 
They have not eaten much. The workers do not seem interested in the honey, and I’ve given them only small cockroach legs for their protein so far. I hope they’ll be not too difficult to feed.
 
Another interesting observation is that it seems the larvae do not turn into pupae. Just before becoming adults, they look like tiny pale immobile ants, but they’re too small for me to be sure.
 
I think they’re a crematogaster species with pointy rear ends, but that could be part of my imagination. One might want to wait for them to grow a little to be more confident.
 
Perhaps it doesn’t matter what their exact name is. I’d be more interested in getting tips on how to keep them.
 


#2 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted February 18 2021 - 9:10 AM

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Pheidole sp. Better pics, a location and a date would help. Also, no cocoon is a trait that all Myrmecine ants have.


Edited by TennesseeAnts, February 18 2021 - 9:13 AM.

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#3 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 18 2021 - 9:11 AM

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Pheidole sp. Better pics, a location and a date would help.

it looks more like crematogaster to me. Look at the pointed gasters on the workers.
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#4 Offline antsandmore - Posted February 18 2021 - 10:07 AM

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Pheidole sp. Better pics, a location and a date would help.

it looks more like crematogaster to me. Look at the pointed gasters on the workers.

 

i can see this, but the queen does not seem like a crematogaster. the size would probably make them a pheidole species. also, the gasters are hard to tell if they're actually hart shaped or just round from this angle.


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year


#5 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 18 2021 - 10:14 AM

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The queen definitely looks like crematogaster. Look at the head. Also some crematogaster can be tiny, i had a species that was 2mm. Also as for OP’s question, I’d feed them fruit flies for now, and since honey doesn’t work, try sugar water.

Edited by Manitobant, February 18 2021 - 10:35 AM.

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#6 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted February 18 2021 - 11:00 AM

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The queen definitely looks like crematogaster. Look at the head. Also some crematogaster can be tiny, i had a species that was 2mm. Also as for OP’s question, I’d feed them fruit flies for now, and since honey doesn’t work, try sugar water.

I can see what you're talking about, but until better pics and a date and location are specified, I'm sticking with my ID.



#7 Offline gcsnelling - Posted February 18 2021 - 11:10 AM

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My first thought was Crematogaster but I agree better images and data are needed.


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#8 Offline NickAnter - Posted February 18 2021 - 1:40 PM

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I agree with Crematogaster. Better pictures are needed, however.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#9 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted February 18 2021 - 2:24 PM

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I also agree with Crematogaster as the ID and that better pictures are needed.


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#10 Offline Quintessence - Posted February 19 2021 - 9:08 AM

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Thanks to all who have replied.
 
Here's a slightly clearer photo that suggests gasters are indeed heart-shaped.
 
20210219_235830.jpg
 
 
Still no interest in moving to be near water, and they don't seem to care for sugar water. Surely they must eat sooner or later. 
 
Compare these with this other type. The queens look similar but the workers look different to me.
 


#11 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted February 19 2021 - 9:16 AM

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Alright, definitely Crematogaster. A pretty queen!


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#12 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 19 2021 - 9:21 AM

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Yeah that’s crematogaster. Are you in southeast asia by any chance?
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#13 Offline Quintessence - Posted February 19 2021 - 9:31 AM

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Yes, I'm in Singapore.

 

This species is not very common, as far as I know.


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#14 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted February 19 2021 - 10:14 AM

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noice


1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489


#15 Offline AleeGuy - Posted February 19 2021 - 12:12 PM

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Looks like Crematogaster Treubi.




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