My First Ant! What is it though?!

Help with identifying the species your ants

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AntsTrefren
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun May 20, 2018 9:56 pm
Location: Washington

My First Ant! What is it though?!

Post: # 36207Post AntsTrefren
Mon May 21, 2018 6:01 pm

Hello, I've been watching AntsCanada on Youtube for a while now and hoping I could one day begin ant keeping with my wife as she is also interested. As it happens the other day at work I spotted an ant creeping along next to crevices (not typical ant behavior) I got excited and was able to get it into a water-bottle believing it to be a queen ant looking for a home. I have a problem though! I can't seem to identify it! I've done some research and so has my wife and we think we know but we have differing ideas! So I need all of your help in this endeavor of identification!
Some background to try and help out with identifying it: We live in Eastern Washington close to Spokane and the month is currently May, I can make out some of the markings from where wings might have been attached to the side of the ant giving me strong belief that this is one of three things, a mated female, an unmated female (who for what ever reason tore her wings off) or an abnormally large worker ant (considering how she was moving though I highly doubt it).
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Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: My First Ant! What is it though?!

Post: # 36212Post Batspiderfish
Mon May 21, 2018 9:16 pm

Looks to be a Camponotus semitestaceus queen, possibly a bright Camponotus vicinus.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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AntNoobster
Posts: 83
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 3:17 am
Location: Perth, AUS

Re: My First Ant! What is it though?!

Post: # 36248Post AntNoobster
Tue May 22, 2018 7:27 pm

im not sure what species but definitely a queen. I'm pretty sure its Camponotus semitestaceus, like above.
"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8


Founding:
8x Iridomyrmex sp.
1x Pheidole sp.

AntsTrefren
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun May 20, 2018 9:56 pm
Location: Washington

Re: My First Ant! What is it though?!

Post: # 36258Post AntsTrefren
Tue May 22, 2018 10:36 pm

Thank you both for replying so expediently!
This lovely ant is confirmed a queen as when I got home from work I checked on her and she was standing over 3(that I could see) ivory dots! My wife and I are in agreement as well that she is probably a Camponotus semitestaceus as that is what was lining up with some of the research we were doing!
Once again thank you both so much for replying! We look forward to watching this new colony founded by luck grow and will post as much as we can about it, if you wish to follow it's growth!

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