17 replies to this topic

[Shareallicu]

Hi I am new to keeping a queen.  She is a Formica Argentea.  Why is she eating her eggs!  I saw her lay one, and I can't find it, so I assume she hid it or is eating it.   I gave her a piece of chicken.  Hopefully she won't eat any more.

[T.C.]

This typically happens due to too much disturbance or self survival

[nurbs]

Formica are generally very antsy (see what I did there) and hypersensitive to movement and light. Any kind of disturbance, not matter how slight, will stress them out and they will eat their brood. I suggest leaving her alone in a dark place and avoid checking up on her for a month or so.

[dspdrew]

Formica are generally very antsy (see what I did there) and hypersensitive to movement and light. Any kind of disturbance, not matter how slight, will stress them out and they will eat their brood. I suggest leaving her alone in a dark place and avoid checking up on her for a month or so.

 

I saw what you did there.

[Loops117]

This explains why my formica absolutely suck.

[Mdrogun]

This explains why my formica absolutely suck.

agreed.

[nurbs]

They are very paranoid ants, possibly because many in their own group are parasitic or slave/egg raiding.

[Batspiderfish]

I don't think their sensitivity has much to do with their social parasites. Fusca-group Formica are defenseless against kidnapper ants, and the enlarged Dufour's gland of the raiders sends them into a panic with minimal violence. This also doesn't really explain the sensitivity that the social parasite species also have.

 

Anyways, winter is coming. Formica might try to raise brood before that mysterious cut-off point for this genus, after which the queens stop laying. I imagine that the eggs were eaten because it was taking too long for them to develop. They will probably begin laying in earnest once spring comes.

[nurbs]

From my understanding, the parasitic variety also raid their own species, not just the non-parasitic kind. Not saying I disagree with you, but I think it may be a contributing factor.

 

They also appear - from my own observation - to have the most developed eyesight vs other species - which may contribute to their paranoia with an additional developed sense.

 

Here is F. aserva I've had since last year. She has happily stolen brood from her own species as well as other Formica and even Lasius (!) that I collected.

 

http://www.formicult...rnal/?hl=aserva

Edited by nurbs, September 11 2016 - 7:18 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

They will happily adopt most any Formica brood we just give to them, but they are mostly adapted to raid host species from the fusca, pallidefulva, and neogagates.

 

And, umm... This is interesting... I don't think your queen is Formica aserva. That species has no hairs on the pronotum, and the petiolar crest is flat, fan shaped. I encourage you to ask him about these details. It might go to show the hazards of identification without microscopic examination. This makes me a little nostalgic (although I wish my photographs were still there): http://antfarm.yuku....ID#.V9Yj7q2FXd1

 

Here, you can clearly see hairs on the pronotum:

 

And here, look at the shape of the petiole:

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 11 2016 - 9:26 PM.

[nurbs]

You could be right, but the person who ID'd this for me was Dr. Trager.

 

Any idea to what species she may be?

Edited by nurbs, September 11 2016 - 7:57 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

You could be right, but the person who ID'd this for me was Dr. Trager.

 

I know! A.K.A. DoctorAnt.

 

I have a lot of deference to him, but identifying ants through other people's photographs is never perfectly reliable. I think he is much more comfortable when he is able to look at ants with his own equipment. I don't actually know what species you have, as my knowledge of west-coast Formica is wanting, but I think this is reasonable evidence to disprove Formica aserva. He might have a better idea.

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 11 2016 - 8:01 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Oh, I guess you are from South Carolina? Maybe I can do something, haha.

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 11 2016 - 9:19 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Hang on... Formica moki? Formica ravida? so it is the west coast!

 

Oh! Pffft! Southern California! I guess I am not clueless after all, only bad at reading.

 

So yeah, ask Dr. Trager for another look. He will know that area better than I do.

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 11 2016 - 8:27 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Do you have any other photographs of that queen with close focus on the gaster? Maybe against a dark background? I can see the obvious resemblance to Formica aserva, but I don't like the pronotal hairs and the rise on the frontal view of the petiolar crest. Ooh! I would love a better look at the petiole, from the front.

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 11 2016 - 9:16 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Ok, I am running into some inconsistencies here. in my A Field Guide to the Ants of New England, Formica aserva is described as having no standing hairs on the pronotum. Coovert writes "The lack of erect hairs on the gula and pronotum will distinguish this species.", which I took to mean that there were no hairs. Mackay & Mackay says that there are six or fewer hairs on the pronotum. That was frustrating. I am feeling more and more like this is Formica aserva. Sorry for making waves!

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 11 2016 - 10:01 PM.

[ants186]

give her some quiet time

[Canadian anter]

Formica seem to love eating their own brood.I only like a few spp for the red colouration