14 replies to this topic

[OxfordCountyAnting]

Hi guys just recently joined today was wondering if I could get an ID on an aphaenogaster queen i caught currently can't upload any pictures. I caught her on a dirt road near several sand pits and pine forests has a black gaster somewhat lighter brown middle and darker head also in maine if that helps narrow it down.

[OxfordCountyAnting]

Edited by OxfordCountyAnting, August 20 2016 - 5:13 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Kinda looks like Myrmica.

 

Always include a location and measurement in millimeters with an ID request. 

[OxfordCountyAnting]

I think you may be right she is about 4-6mm not to happy I'm disturbing her and she seems to lack the spine on the rear of her mesosoma that aphaenogaster queens seem to have.As I said I found her wandering a dirt road near some sand pits and pine forests.The colors on the picture seem off as she is somewhat light brown in the middle with a blackish/brown head and a black gaster with some lighter brown on the underside.

[Batspiderfish]

Location would be like a region or state.

[OxfordCountyAnting]

Oh my bad I'm located in maine as well.

[Batspiderfish]

Ahh, lovely! Lovell is my hometown. 

 

Myrmica are very tricky to identify without photos that clearly show their antennal scapes and the rugae on the head and thorax.

Edited by Batspiderfish, August 20 2016 - 7:07 PM.

[OxfordCountyAnting]

The group I go queen hunting with for the most part is in oxford maine nice place for camponotus and formica and more lasius than one person could ever need.

 

Unfortunately I don't have access to the greatest camera right now although I think the myrmica guess could be correct.

 

I have looked at several other myrmica queens and they look very similar to aphaenogaster queens I have seen, but they are not as bulky and heavily built, I also can't think of any other ant species we have here that look similar to myrmica and aphaenogaster.

 

I also take it they are semi claustral and need to be fed ?

[Batspiderfish]

Yes, Myrmica forage during the founding stages. Sometimes you will see queens wandering around in the spring.

 

Does she have absolutely no propodeal spines? or are they just small?

Edited by Batspiderfish, August 20 2016 - 7:26 PM.

[OxfordCountyAnting]

I checked again and she does not have any spines from what I can see ,she does have what appears to be golden hairs on her gaster.

[Batspiderfish]

Hmmm. The only local Myrmica species with no spines is an undescribed, presumed social parasite recorded from eastern Maine. I wouldn't mind seeing some more pictures to make sure she isn't somehow Stenamma or some other genus with reduced spines. Myrmica brevispinosa has spines that are kind of small. 

Edited by Batspiderfish, August 20 2016 - 7:43 PM.

[OxfordCountyAnting]

She does somewhat look like myrmica rubra which we have as an invasive species but I'm pretty sure only along the coast.

 

If I get a chance I will upload more pictures .

[Batspiderfish]

I haven't actually positively identified Myrmica rubra in Portland yet, but I've assumed a lot of the massive, bright Myrmica colonies I see are this species.

 

Their spines are long, so I doubt this is our queen.

[OxfordCountyAnting]

Well ...seems I was wrong about the spines.

 

I sat there an looked her over a few times until she was upside down on the glass with something light underneath and she had 2 barely visible spines on each side of the rear of her mesosoma.

Without something to magnify I don't think I would have seen them .

[dspdrew]

A lot of IDing just can't be done without magnification... or superhuman eyes, I guess.