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Ant queen(maybe) that needs identification(Worchester, MA: May 5th)

Started By MinigunL5 , May 5 2020 6:25 PM

Best Answer AntsDakota , May 6 2020 - 6:45 AM

Just feed it a little honey water, as parasitic queens are usually underfed in the nest. Though it is nice to get brood, it is not necessary for founding parasitic colonies, as the workers will care for the queen's brood as she produces it. The brood will only develop into more host workers. There's nothing wrong with putting brood in, however, if you can find it.

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#1 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:25 PM

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I am a beginner ant keeper looking to ID an ant. I am not 100% sure it is a queen. If it is a queen could you please Identify it? I took the best pictures I could.
 
I live near Worcester, MA. there is a big lake near me and I am not high up in any mountains.
 
It was collected outside my house in the shade of some trees under a rock. It was kinda near a forest but it is really just a big group of trees. I found this earlier this afternoon(On May 5th)
 
Its color is a dark brown/black color and it does not shine too much.
 
I measured it through the glass and it was 5 mm to 7.5 mm.
 
I am not experienced enough to notice any distinguishing characteristics.
 
Nothing else too distinctive. It has a kinda plateau back which I've heard is distinctive of a queen.
 
Thank you to all that try to help. All help is greatly appreciated! (:
 
Btw, if you need more info on something, tell me and I will try to help you.
 

 

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#2 Offline Broncos - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:26 PM

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I can’t help with the species but that does look a lot like a queen.

Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#3 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:28 PM

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I can’t help with the species but that does look a lot like a queen.

Thank you for telling me its a queen, 

but an ID would be useful. 

Also are the images too bad to make an ID?


#4 Offline Broncos - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:30 PM

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I can’t help with the species but that does look a lot like a queen.

Thank you for telling me its a queen,
but an ID would be useful.
Also are the images too bad to make an ID?
The photos in imigur are good. That looks like a lasius queen if I had to guess. I’m actually pretty sure.

Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#5 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:41 PM

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No. You can't tell anything with these pictures except that it is an ant.


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). 

#6 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:42 PM

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I can’t help with the species but that does look a lot like a queen.

Thank you for telling me its a queen,
but an ID would be useful.
Also are the images too bad to make an ID?
The photos in imigur are good. That looks like a lasius queen if I had to guess. I’m actually pretty sure.

 

Thanks a lot for this answer! I watched some of you're video and its clear that you are knowledgeable in anting. From what I know it is pretty unusual to find lasius out at this time right? Is there a species of lasius that have earlier nuptial flights? I'm not going to be 100% sure if its a lasius until more people reply. I hope you are right tho.


#7 Offline Broncos - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:42 PM

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This one helped me the most:42301ed3ed34ea764e1e29345f02c58a.jpg
  • MinigunL5 likes this

Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#8 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:43 PM

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No. You can't tell anything with these pictures except that it is an ant.

Did you look at the imgur?

https://imgur.com/gallery/LDLJ2uy


#9 Offline Broncos - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:44 PM

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Unfortunately this looks like a lasius umbratus queen. It is parasitic and will need to find host workers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#10 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:45 PM

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This one helped me the most:42301ed3ed34ea764e1e29345f02c58a.jpg

oh ok. That will be useful info for when I catch more queens in the future.


#11 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:45 PM

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Okay, I didn't see that image. I will agree on parasitic Lasius.


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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). 

#12 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:51 PM

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Unfortunately this looks like a lasius umbratus queen. It is parasitic and will need to find host workers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I looked into that species and It does look very similar. If this is true then does that mean that it cannot be raised? Will I have to release it or what?


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#13 Offline Broncos - Posted May 5 2020 - 6:56 PM

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Unfortunately this looks like a lasius umbratus queen. It is parasitic and will need to find host workers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I looked into that species and It does look very similar. If this is true then does that mean that it cannot be raised? Will I have to release it or what?
d71c9b5c653bdb6d124cdb134530ff2f.jpg
This is what I see. If you want to keep her and try to find host workers that will most likely work but I’m not sure she will have a s good luck finding a host colony.

Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#14 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 5 2020 - 7:04 PM

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Unfortunately this looks like a lasius umbratus queen. It is parasitic and will need to find host workers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I looked into that species and It does look very similar. If this is true then does that mean that it cannot be raised? Will I have to release it or what?
d71c9b5c653bdb6d124cdb134530ff2f.jpg
This is what I see. If you want to keep her and try to find host workers that will most likely work but I’m not sure she will have a s good luck finding a host colony.

 

Thank you for the help. I will try to find a lasius colony for her but as I have never kept ants before I think I will have a difficult time. What should I do in the meantime? I have it in a normal test tube set up with water. Will it need food in the mean time? 


#15 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted May 5 2020 - 8:47 PM

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It's not Lasius umbratus, as he's in the US. it would be probably Lasius aphidicola or speculiventris.


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#16 Offline ANTdrew - Posted May 6 2020 - 3:18 AM

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Probably not worth the trouble if you’re just getting into ant-keeping. If you wait a few weeks, much easier species like Camponotus and Tetramorium will be flying in your area.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#17 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 6 2020 - 4:31 AM

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It's not Lasius umbratus, as he's in the US. it would be probably Lasius aphidicola or speculiventris.

Ok thanks


#18 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 6 2020 - 4:33 AM

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Probably not worth the trouble if you’re just getting into ant-keeping. If you wait a few weeks, much easier species like Camponotus and Tetramorium will be flying in your area.

I will at least try to find a suitable lasius host colony. Honestly I doubt I will be able to both find and identify one.


#19 Offline AntsDakota - Posted May 6 2020 - 4:42 AM

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It's not Lasius umbratus, as he's in the US. it would be probably Lasius aphidicola or speculiventris.

Most likely aphidicola, though. Either way, their care is the exact same.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

#20 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted May 6 2020 - 6:39 AM

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It's not Lasius umbratus, as he's in the US. it would be probably Lasius aphidicola or speculiventris.

Most likely aphidicola, though. Either way, their care is the exact same.

 

 

Thank you, what should I do with it until I procure the necessary workers and brood? I have in a test tube set up with water.


Edited by MinigunL5, May 6 2020 - 7:03 AM.

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