Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Help me ID these 2 Queens (Western Washington) - 9/1/15


  • Please log in to reply
3 replies to this topic

#1 Offline myrmecophile - Posted August 31 2015 - 9:41 AM

myrmecophile

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 17 posts

I found these queens in the same general vicinity within a few weeks of each other.

 

 

SPECIES #1

Found 7 of these the other day. 1 of them managed to escape and is hiding somewhere in my room.  :o  Any help is appreciated.

 

1. Location of collection – Everett, WA.

2. Date of collection – Thursday, 8/27/15 around 8pm.

3. Habitat of collection – Puget trough

4. Length –  6mm

5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture – Brownish. Tips of antennae and legs are lighter than body. Sort of shiny, but upon closer inspection there is dense pubescence. Has some longer hairs on the thorax and gaster. Mandibles are red.

6. Distinguishing characteristics –

7. Anything else distinctive – I could definitely be wrong, but I have a feeling these ladies are polygynous. (Please let me know ASAP if they aren’t!!) They sit next to and on top of each other all day. I frequently see them grooming each other.  They also really like my heating cable.

8. Nest description – In my backyard underneath bamboo leaves. I found them at the end their nuptial flight walking through grass. Their nest is located next to a large dirt pile which is on top of sand. The actual nest was a small dirt pile and bamboo leaves were scattered all over it. I saw lots of workers, however I wasn’t quick enough to grab any.

 

 

SPECIES #2

Found 1 of these. She has 4 eggs so far. I caught her as she was looking for a place to settle down. Her wings were already removed.

 

1. Location of collection – Everett, WA.

2. Date of collection – Mid-August around 6pm.

3. Habitat of collection – Puget trough

4. Length –  11mm

5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture – See pictures. Dense pubescence, almost furry looking. After feeding honey, her gaster expanded at least 3mm.

6. Distinguishing characteristics –

7. Anything else distinctive – Slow moving. She isn't disturbed very easily. Stays in same position all day.

8. Nest description –

 

Before feeding honey:

 

After feeding honey:


Edited by myrmecophile, September 1 2015 - 11:47 AM.


#2 Offline Jonathan21700 - Posted August 31 2015 - 10:19 AM

Jonathan21700

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 807 posts
Lasius sp.

#3 Offline myrmecophile - Posted September 1 2015 - 9:06 PM

myrmecophile

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 17 posts

Lasius sp.

Thank you for the response, Jonathan. How about the second ant? I think she might be Lasius spp. too, but honestly I have no idea.

After doing some research on Lasius it doesn't sound like there is a high chance the first queens are a polygynous species... I have 2 groups of 3 queens. One of the groups already has an egg, however I'm a little concerned. It seems like each of them has split off. At first they were all piled together, but as of today it is a group of 2 + 1 in each test tube. One queen is not participating at all and the other two queens lay on each other.



I read a paper that said if given a choice, Lasius pallitarsis queens always prefer to nest with a lighter weight queen versus a queen heavier than themselves; they wanted the competitive advantge.

I'm afraid that maybe the heaviest queen chose the weakest queen and decided to sit on her?? I'm not too sure. It just looks like there is lots of tension going on in this test tube and even though they laid an egg I don't want to take the risk...
Edit: I will catch some workers of ant 1 to see if I can get a more specific species ID.

Edited by myrmecophile, September 1 2015 - 9:22 PM.


#4 Offline prettycode - Posted September 3 2015 - 3:05 PM

prettycode

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 86 posts

What do you use to take these photos? Cell phone? SLR? Microscope?

 

I want to be able to see my ants this close up. :)


Edited by prettycode, September 3 2015 - 3:05 PM.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users