TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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TheRealAntMan
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Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Post: # 46656Post TheRealAntMan
Sun Aug 05, 2018 3:55 pm

Found this little girl running around Formica Fusca next. It took me a moment to realize that it was a Polyergus Queen. I’m not sure if it’s Polyergus Lucidus or Polyergus Breviceps. The measurements are 10 mm. I also put Formica Pallidefulva brood inside with her.

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An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

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Batspiderfish
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Re: TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Post: # 46657Post Batspiderfish
Sun Aug 05, 2018 3:58 pm

I don't think Polyergus is capable of caring for brood at all -- you might want to introduce adult workers or callows. It will be a pretty boring and inconvenient species to keep in the future, although I guess they look pretty cool.
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.

TheRealAntMan
Posts: 620
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Post: # 46659Post TheRealAntMan
Sun Aug 05, 2018 4:13 pm

Batspiderfish wrote:
Sun Aug 05, 2018 3:58 pm
I don't think Polyergus is capable of caring for brood at all -- you might want to introduce adult workers or callows. It will be a pretty boring and inconvenient species to keep in the future, although I guess they look pretty cool.
That’s true. I want to see how far I can get to raising them. I once saw an ant keeper raise them to 50+ plus workers before they of mites brought in by other ants.
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

TheRealAntMan
Posts: 620
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Post: # 46730Post TheRealAntMan
Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:37 pm

I decided to just release here, as there was reall no point in wasting time and and energy on a colony that might not survive long.
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

AntsDakota
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Location: South Dakota

Re: TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Post: # 47039Post AntsDakota
Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:28 pm

Too bad. But do you realize that you are the first person that I have seen on this forum that has captured a Polyergus queen? That means you're one of the first people to capture a Polyergus queen.
"God made every kind of wild beasts and every kind of livestock and every kind of creeping things;" (including ants) "and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25

TheRealAntMan
Posts: 620
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Post: # 47045Post TheRealAntMan
Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:57 pm

Yep, I had realized that to but I could hardly find any information on successfully raising a mature colony. So I had decided to release where she would have the best chance.
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

TheRealAntMan
Posts: 620
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: TheRealAntMan Slave-Making ant journal

Post: # 47047Post TheRealAntMan
Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:59 pm

Plus its not the first time I had seen these queens in my area. I could do more research and catch another one next year.
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

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