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Queen ID - SW Michigan - 7-9-16

queen ant id michigan

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#1 Offline KingLarryXVII - Posted July 9 2016 - 6:02 AM

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I found this one crawling up the wall of our barn yesterday (SW Michigan, near our wooded lot).  She appears to have the scars of having wings, so I'm reasonably sure its a queen.  she's about 12mm long, mostly brick red with a (mostly) black gastor.  Going to get my microscope camera from work to get some better pictures of her face.

 

http://imgur.com/a/GDuYE

 

I think I have a few in mind but have zero experience in this so going to let the experts around here point me in the right direction.  Let me know if you need any more pictures or information.  Thanks!

 

-G



#2 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted July 9 2016 - 6:24 AM

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She's a Formica social parasite, although at this distance I wouldn't be able to tell which. If we can get a close-up view of the front of the head, I can probably do better.

If you want to keep her, give her worker pupae of a Formica species. Formica social parasites (I'm not sure about the microgyna group) care for host brood and are very easy to found. If she turns out to be an obligate slave-raiding species from the sanguinea group, it's best to let them go at some point.


Edited by Batspiderfish, July 9 2016 - 6:28 AM.

If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

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Black lives still matter.


#3 Offline KingLarryXVII - Posted July 9 2016 - 6:28 AM

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Thanks for the quick reply.  I also had concluded social parasite.  Unfortunately I don't think I have the bandwidth to micromanage that right now, maybe in a few years once I have a bit more experience.  I'll be letting her go this evening.  Thank you again!!



#4 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted July 9 2016 - 6:32 AM

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No problem! Nowadays, I kind of feel like Formica deserve to live outside anyways. They are so sensitive and have large foraging territories. I'm probably not going to hang on to my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony for too long, for much the same reason.


If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

----

Black lives still matter.






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