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[Formiga]

Another Messor queen has survived to see her 1st daughter born!

Wow, since late September...

The queen seemed very slow and weak, but I gave her a squashed sunflower seed and she took it really soon, taking most of its bits back to the pile of brood. Meanwhile she has been eating, so everything seems to be fine.

 

I was testing another phone I have, testing its camera for macro photography and it seems to be fine.

I took a photo of these ants and I've noticed that the nanitic has her jaws much lighter than the rest of her body. She is 2 days old top. But she's already hard working, a still bit clumsy but she's already taking care of her soon to be sisters.

 

I'm assuming this is perfectly normal. So, just asking, is her exoskeleton not fully hard yet, and her jaws take some more time to harden?

 

 

 

PS - I know I have a dozen topics and reply to catch up... Soon! Sorry guys.

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[Formiga]

This is definitely a normal characteristic of this species.

Lots of them have it, if not most, and this trait persists with time, meaning it's not an exoskeleton hardening thing.

 

I'm having bigger ants now and they also have it, although it seems the contrast between their jaws and their black body is greater in the nanitics. It's hard to see because they need to be under direct light for this to be easily seen and they're mostly under the shadow.

 

Doubt solved.