Wild Ant Queen outside Ottawa Canada? Aug 11

Help with identifying the species your ants

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Ikerrilove
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:39 am
Location: Ontario
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Wild Ant Queen outside Ottawa Canada? Aug 11

Post: # 47326Post Ikerrilove
Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:12 am

These were taking on the 11th of August just outside Ottawa on the Ottawa River. They were on a gravel path under the electric poles just next to a small grouping of trees.

If this is a queen and I'm not confused then this queen was working with the others just like any other worker.

Not overly shy, very abundant in this pebbled path on a slight slope. Gets morning sun and shade in afternoon/evening. Nest is in small tufts of grass or flat holes that aren't sandy at all.

I'm not sure about the size yet so I'm not looking to get a specific species but I'm really new to this so even some basic info or guesses you might have will help steer me in the right directions to research.

Thanks.

https://kerrilove.smugmug.com/2018-Ant-ident/i-DpwS5qf

https://kerrilove.smugmug.com/2018-Ant-ident/i-46dTDNP/A

https://kerrilove.smugmug.com/2018-Ant-ident/i-3ZDx3Pz/A

https://kerrilove.smugmug.com/2018-Ant-ident/i-8f5qttn/A

JustCliff
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:03 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Wild Ant Queen outside Ottawa Canada? Aug 11

Post: # 47330Post JustCliff
Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:54 am

I don't know what they are for sure but looks a little like Pogonomyrmex, which are also semi-claustral, meaning the queen will scavenge like a worker in the founding of its colony. Semi-claustral queens tend to looks like a cross between a worker and a queen. I don't know if she'd keep scavenging or not once she has workers though.

I have Temnothorax Curvispinosus which unmated queens chose to stay in their birth colony. They ripped their wings off and act as workers to support the egg-laying queen. Though they're capable of laying males, they choose not to. This could be a similar scenario, can't say I'm too familiar with Pogonomyrmex. Just an idea, I'll be checking back to see what the pros say.
Keeper of:
Temnothorax curvispinosus x2
Camponotus nearcticus
Brachymyrmex depilis
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Camponotus herculeanus

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