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Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 9:01 pm
by Aparlia
My daughter really wants to start an ant colony and she thinks she caught a queen this afternoon!! We would love some help identifying her!

I have tried to attach the photo but I'm not sure it worked. I will try uploading again if it didn't work.

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 9:17 pm
by Aparlia
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1efQm-WW5S960tlTysmmitHVKzHmnu9t9/view?usp=drivesdk

She found the ant in our backyard near our lawn. There is a Grove of poplars nearby. We live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 9:20 pm
by MaxGen
It's a queen - Camponotus possibly

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 9:28 pm
by Batspiderfish
The picture is pretty blurry. I'd say Camponotus herculeanus, based on the modest shininess.

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Sat May 19, 2018 9:45 pm
by Aparlia
Thanks for your help identifying her! Would this be a good species for us to start with? At what point should I order a formicarium? When she says eggs or when the eggs become larva or other?

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Sat May 19, 2018 10:10 pm
by Batspiderfish
They can comfortably live in a test tube or two for at least a year.

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 10:07 am
by Aparlia
Oh wow! I didn't realize they could live in the test tube for so long. Thank you.

Is this a good species to keep as a colony (if all goes well)?

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 11:58 am
by CamponotusKing
Camponotus is a very good beginner species to keep from what I have heard. It take a long time for the colony to become a good size. You have to be careful though once your colony has a foraging area or outworld because if the colony escapes it can do serious damage to your house. Make you put some escape prevention medium along the top of the outworld if it is not sealed.

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 8:15 pm
by Aparlia
We are trying not to interrupt the queen we caught while she lays eggs but of course we are very curious about how the process is going. We have her in a test tube in a dark drawer in our spare room.

How often can we check on her without stressing her?

Is there a way to check on her that will be the least invasive?

Thank you so much for answering all these questions while we try to figure this out!

Re: Help identifying a queen from Calgary

Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 10:35 pm
by Consonotibrinos
There is one way (I think) is to put the Camponotus Queen in red light, or a red see through test tube holder, I’ve heard that Red light disturbs Ants much less :)