7 replies to this topic

[Teafoot]

I spotted this queen as she was shedding her wings, so definitely not a worker or male.

 

1. Location of collection: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, on a paved small road on a sandy patch
2. Date of collection: 2016-10-2, about 4:00 PM
3. Habitat of collection: A small road bordering a neighborhood and a little bit of woods
4. Length (from head to gaster): 3/16 to 1/4 inches
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: All black, maybe some stripes on the gaster. Reddish brown antennae, legs, and stinger.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Stinger, mandibles about 1/2 as long as head. One node. Legs are probably about 1/2 as long as the whole ant, same with antennae.
7. Distinguishing behavior: I picked her up to see if she would sting me (bad idea) and she tried, but I didn't feel anything. I also didn't feel her bites. Likes to stay on the ceiling of my habitat (although that may be general). (Edit) She seems to be either interested or eating a dead fruit fly I gave her (squished off my water glass). She keeps moving it around and seems to be eating it.
8. Nest description: Not the sandy patch she was found in, but other than that, not sure. If no one figures it out today, I will look tomorrow afternoon.

Starting to look weirder and weirder the longer I look at her...

 

I hope those work because I have had very bad luck with Imgur in the past.

 

She is in a small Tupperware with a magnifying glass over the top for observation, because my habitat is hard to see into. (to be moved soon)

Edited by Teafoot, October 2 2016 - 3:35 PM.

[Canadian anter]

Ponera pennsylvanica these are very hard to raise I have at least 15 failed attempts

[Teafoot]

Thanks for the reply, being a beginner this could be a challenge. Should I release her and find a new queen or try to stick with it and risk running out of time to catch another?

[Canadian anter]

She need's a worker to survive
She is also semiclaustral

[Canadian anter]

She would need another worker to help her in captivity but I would keep it anyways.By the way she is semi claustral

[Teafoot]

Do I need to find one of the same species and put it in the habitat? I've never heard of an ant like that .

[dspdrew]

I'm so pleased to see you can properly post pictures on a forum.

[Teafoot]

Thanks Drew!

Canadian Anter, I see what you mean. I figured it was semi-claustral, from its behavior and my general observation that they tend to fly later than other species.