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Swampscott, Massachusetts, 5/3/21


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14 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Chickalo - Posted May 3 2021 - 1:52 PM

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Hullo!

 

On my hunt for future Chestnut Chums, I didn't find castaneus.  However, I did catch a 10 queen colony!  Have no idea what it is, well, I lied, yes I do, but the ID in the discord server wasn't very clear (if you're reading this I'm sorry but I'm telling the truth).

Some information:

They're very polygynous

They're a little polymorphic

They're a brown-reddish colour

The queen was just chilling there when I was moving them and I didn't even realise lmao

B5E67BCD-31C2-4AA5-A43C-A8766F70C98E.jpeg

5168B0EB-60D4-4F87-B88A-636C5AEB9F33.jpeg


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シグナチャーです。예.

 


#2 Online ANTdrew - Posted May 3 2021 - 1:53 PM

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Aphaenogaster species
Jk, jk. I mean Mymica.

Edited by ANTdrew, May 3 2021 - 2:40 PM.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#3 Offline VoidElecent - Posted May 3 2021 - 1:55 PM

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This is a Myrmica sp. colony

 

Please be careful digging up colonies from the wild, it is disruptive in many ways.  :(


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#4 Offline Chickalo - Posted May 3 2021 - 2:02 PM

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Don't quote me on this, but reminds me of Aphaenogaster fulva kind of.  I'd say tenn, however tenn isn't polygynous.  

Edit:  Nevermind it's definitely rudis, the queen matches perfectly with the light body and darker head.  Antwiki says they're common so I wouldn't worry too much about disrupting the ecosystem, but I do tend to stay away from catching wild colonies unless I know they're really common.  Even then I don't actively search for them.


Edited by Chickalo, May 3 2021 - 2:31 PM.

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シグナチャーです。예.

 


#5 Offline Manitobant - Posted May 3 2021 - 2:29 PM

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That’s myrmica dude. How ANTdrew confused that with aphaenogaster is beyond me.

Edited by Manitobant, May 3 2021 - 2:30 PM.

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#6 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 3 2021 - 2:32 PM

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This is most assuredly a Myrmica species. Those queens are semi claustral, and the workers sculptured and rugose and not very leggy. The opposite of all those characteristics is Aphaenogaster.


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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). 


#7 Offline Chickalo - Posted May 3 2021 - 2:32 PM

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That’s myrmica dude. How ANTdrew confused that with aphaenogaster is beyond me.

Should I get a worker and ask my old 6th grade science teacher to use her microscopes?


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シグナチャーです。예.

 


#8 Online ANTdrew - Posted May 3 2021 - 2:34 PM

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Just trying to keep you youngsters on your toes. A test, if you will.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#9 Offline Chickalo - Posted May 3 2021 - 2:40 PM

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I mean but like:

download (34).jpeg

post-5781-0-32319700-1620078670.jpeg

My phone is really bad at taking photos, should I try to get another of the workers for better clarity?  The colours in this are really diminished from what she really looks like


Edited by Chickalo, May 3 2021 - 2:42 PM.

シグナチャーです。예.

 


#10 Offline Manitobant - Posted May 3 2021 - 3:11 PM

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I mean but like:
attachicon.gifdownload (34).jpeg
post-5781-0-32319700-1620078670.jpeg
My phone is really bad at taking photos, should I try to get another of the workers for better clarity?  The colours in this are really diminished from what she really looks like

it’s definitely myrmica. Queen is slimmer and less leggy. Also, good luck getting myrmica down to species without a microscope.

#11 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted May 4 2021 - 3:25 AM

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It is 100% Myrmica. ONE HUNDRED percent. Got that? Trust me, when you find an Aphaenogaster queen, you will know.


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#12 Offline Antcatcherpro3 - Posted May 4 2021 - 3:34 AM

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I've seen an Aphenogaster queen in Tennessee and it looks nothing like your queen. It is definitely Myrmica. I've even caught Myrmica queens in running across my yard probably from a nuptial flight. Not Aphenogaster.



#13 Offline Chickalo - Posted May 4 2021 - 3:56 AM

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Ah okay, rubra perhaps?  I was thrown off since the myrmica queen I caught last year didn't look much like these in my opinion.


シグナチャーです。예.

 


#14 Offline Ferox_Formicae - Posted May 4 2021 - 3:58 AM

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I mean but like:
attachicon.gifdownload (34).jpeg
post-5781-0-32319700-1620078670.jpeg
My phone is really bad at taking photos, should I try to get another of the workers for better clarity?  The colours in this are really diminished from what she really looks like

it’s definitely myrmica. Queen is slimmer and less leggy. Also, good luck getting myrmica down to species without a microscope.

 

You'd be hard pressed to get Myrmica down to species WITH a microscope! Their taxonomy is all over the place, and on top of that, there are a ton of undescribed species that can really throw you off.


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#15 Offline Chickalo - Posted May 4 2021 - 4:01 AM

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I mean but like:
attachicon.gifdownload (34).jpeg
post-5781-0-32319700-1620078670.jpeg
My phone is really bad at taking photos, should I try to get another of the workers for better clarity?  The colours in this are really diminished from what she really looks like

it’s definitely myrmica. Queen is slimmer and less leggy. Also, good luck getting myrmica down to species without a microscope.

 

You'd be hard pressed to get Myrmica down to species WITH a microscope! Their taxonomy is all over the place, and on top of that, there are a ton of undescribed species that can really throw you off.

 

I see.  Again, I can ask my old 6th grade teacher to use the microscopes in her room and get a worker onto a slide.  How I'd take photos, I have no idea.  (also the queens layed a nice batch of eggs last night)


Edited by Chickalo, May 4 2021 - 4:09 AM.

シグナチャーです。예.

 





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