13 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

1. Location of collection - my backyard
2. Date of collection - 28/3/2018
3. Habitat of collection - typical Aussie backyard
4. Length - about 5-6mm
5. Coloration - reddish orange wth black gaster
6. Distinguishing characteristics - very thin gaster for a queen
8. Nest description - under loose debris
 
So I found this ant in my backyard, I think it's a queen, but the gaster is quite thin.
It appears to be missing limbs and legs.
I found something similar a few months back, also missing limbs and being attacked by ants of the same colour, Tetramorium bicarinatum type ants.
 
She was under some loose debris with another ant that ran off, which I think was another queen, but I lost track of it
 
click for slightly larger pic


she definitely has the 3 dots on her head, that a queen of her species has

Edited by CoolColJ, March 28 2018 - 4:38 PM.

[AntsMaryland]

Tetramorium bicarinatum.

[Phoenix]

7mm seems a bit too large for Tetramorium bicarinatum.

[CoolColJ]

7mm seems a bit too large for Tetramorium bicarinatum.

 
 
These are old photos of the workers in my backyard, but she is at least 2mm larger than them
 
4-5mm workers

 
click to enlarge

Edited by CoolColJ, March 28 2018 - 10:07 AM.

[AntsMaryland]

If you can, could you give us some macro shots of its head. That way we can rule our Myrmica.

 

7mm seems a bit too large for Tetramorium bicarinatum.

 
 
These are old photos of the workers in my backyard, but she is at least 2mm larger than them
 
4-5mm workers

 

 

That looks like Tetramorium bicarinata

[CoolColJ]

LOL, I found 8 more of these, in a single file just about, maybe they just got expelled from a colony?!
And while doing so found another winged queen of another ant type wandering around...


I put them into 3 test tubes, 2x3 and 1x2
They don't seem to be fighting but one couple appear to be interacting with each other.

I'll try an get some better photos

Edited by CoolColJ, March 28 2018 - 2:31 PM.

[AntsMaryland]

LOL, I found 8 more of these, in a single file just about, maybe they just got expelled from a colony?!
And while doing so found another winged queen of another ant type wandering around...


I put them into 3 test tubes, 2x3 and 1x2
They don't seem to be fighting but one couple appear to be interacting with each other.

I'll try an get some better photos

I believe this species is polygenous (oops... bad spelling ).

[LC3]

Myrmica isn't present in Australia. This is probably T. bicarinatum based on your location (backyard). 7mm does seem too large for T. bicarnatum, the only other Tetramorium in that region that may match your description is T. splendidior but I can't find any info on its length (or any for that matter).

Edited by LC3, March 28 2018 - 2:53 PM.

[Aaron567]

yes, Tetramorium bicarinatum

[CoolColJ]

Ugh, 8 I captured this morning are actually workers...
 
Pic of workers - 4mm or so

 
 
I remeasured the queen and she is around 5-6mm.
Took better pics, through the test tube opening.
She is missing one leg and the remainder are stumps
Will she be able to start a colony like this?
I can't see how she will clean her antennae...
 
 

Edited by CoolColJ, March 28 2018 - 4:48 PM.

[Phoenix]

If she's around 5 - 6 mm, she's definitely a Tetramorium bicarinatum queen then. 

Don't think she'll survive though with such conditions, let alone start a colony.

[CoolColJ]

Well she is still alive and kicking, so who knows...
And moves quite well, despite the fact she has lost a lot of limbs

I put in a small amount of raw honey on a wax paper in her test tube, and put her away.

Edited by CoolColJ, March 29 2018 - 2:17 PM.

[123LordOfAnts123]

This is a very common and conspicuous exotic ant in my area, persisting well in cultivated lawns or backyards and occasionally reaching into natural areas. For the most part, their colonies are small to medium sized and highly polygynous. I’ve observed their nuptials on many occasions. Lekking behavior appears to take place around certain colonies just outside the nest. Males and some queens leave, but the majority of the latter stay behind and presumably release pheromones to attract foreign males, which eventually arrive and mate. Some sibling mating also appears to take place, although it may be wrong to call it so as this polygynous ant is bound to have a high degree of unrelated-ness. Some of the queens are dragged back into the nest, but others leave. I’ve almost always witnessed some sort of “queen culling” behavior hours to days after these mating events. Queens are dragged out and slowly killed; many posses small gasters and are probably old queens, but a few appear plump and healthy and may be recently fertilized gynes from the natal nest killed for unknown reasons - perhaps resource availability is a factor. Damaged queens are often found around colonies at this time.

In captivity mating within the nest is common but queens seem to be short lived and a similiar queen culling behavior is adopted annually.

[CoolColJ]

The above queen is still alive!

But not producing in my care.

 

Today I was lifting up bricks in my backyard, and found another solo queen.

I captured her and on closer inspection, she too has lost some limbs and one antenna.

 

After that I decided to release both of them back to under that brick, it should keep them safe for a bit

 

 

PS - stacks of bricks make nice ants traps, yesterday I found several Pheidole colonies under them, and today, the above queen and one new queen of unknown ID

Oh and a spider (ant food), wood lice among other things

Edited by CoolColJ, April 5 2018 - 11:34 PM.