Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Help with identifying the species your ants

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Cycles
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:43 pm

Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 93924Post Cycles
Sat Jun 25, 2022 5:40 pm

Hello, I just started attempting to found an ant colony after finding a queen in my driveway. I managed to find another of what looked to be the same species about a week later, and today, another ant species that I am not sure is a queen or not.

Size: <Both same queens are about 7-9mm>
When: <Both between 5-6 PM, about 2 & 3 weeks ago>
Where: <Central Florida coast, one in my driveway, and one in the parking lot at work>
Appearance: <Both darkish red/brown, with large near black gasters>
Behavior: <Both were actively walking around until they were covered to block light. Both now sit in front of the cotton plug for
their water source, and have both produced eggs about the size of grains of sand>
Picture(s): Sorry in advance for my camera, it would not focus through the plastic very well. I did not get pictures of the first
queen as I was afraid of disturbing her with her eggs.

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I captured another ant today, that I thought may be a queen, but was not sure.

Size: <9-10mm>
When: <Around 1-2 PM today>
Where: <Central Florida coast, running around on the edge of a patio table in my overgrown back-yard>
Appearance: <Long and fast, small gaster, and stark color changes between black and orange>
Behavior: <Ran laps around the bottle I caught her with. I put her into a test tube portal attached to a water test tube, as I
thought she might be semi-claustral due to her smaller gaster and body build. She settled on in one place on the
ledge above the tube portals after a little while>
Picture(s): Sorry again for the bad photos.

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Thank you for any help.

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 93929Post SolenopsisKeeper
Sat Jun 25, 2022 7:42 pm

Cycles wrote:
Sat Jun 25, 2022 5:40 pm
Hello, I just started attempting to found an ant colony after finding a queen in my driveway. I managed to find another of what looked to be the same species about a week later, and today, another ant species that I am not sure is a queen or not.

Size: <Both same queens are about 7-9mm>
When: <Both between 5-6 PM, about 2 & 3 weeks ago>
Where: <Central Florida coast, one in my driveway, and one in the parking lot at work>
Appearance: <Both darkish red/brown, with large near black gasters>
Behavior: <Both were actively walking around until they were covered to block light. Both now sit in front of the cotton plug for
their water source, and have both produced eggs about the size of grains of sand>
Picture(s): Sorry in advance for my camera, it would not focus through the plastic very well. I did not get pictures of the first
queen as I was afraid of disturbing her with her eggs.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image


I captured another ant today, that I thought may be a queen, but was not sure.

Size: <9-10mm>
When: <Around 1-2 PM today>
Where: <Central Florida coast, running around on the edge of a patio table in my overgrown back-yard>
Appearance: <Long and fast, small gaster, and stark color changes between black and orange>
Behavior: <Ran laps around the bottle I caught her with. I put her into a test tube portal attached to a water test tube, as I
thought she might be semi-claustral due to her smaller gaster and body build. She settled on in one place on the
ledge above the tube portals after a little while>
Picture(s): Sorry again for the bad photos.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Thank you for any help.
Queen 1,
Solenopsis invicta, highly invasive and grows fast colonies. Common name is the Red Imported Fire Ant. I am sure you are familiar with them? ;)

Queen 2(Yes, it’s a queen),
Psedumyrmex gracilis, also known as the Mexican twig ant, mud ant, oak ant, and twig ant. Semi-claustral and difficult to raise. Colonies typically sell for 50-70 due to rarity and difficulty. I suggest you try to raise it, and not in a normal test tube setup. Only have a water reservoir of about 6mm. They despise humidity and can die from too much. Good luck! ;)
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

Cycles
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:43 pm

Re: Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 93936Post Cycles
Sat Jun 25, 2022 9:18 pm

Thank you for the information, will try a low humidity setup with the Psedumyrmex gracilis queen then.

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 93942Post SolenopsisKeeper
Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:58 am

Cycles wrote:
Sat Jun 25, 2022 9:18 pm
Thank you for the information, will try a low humidity setup with the Psedumyrmex gracilis queen then.
They are really cool ants, just i fail to raise them. Also, just to let you know Odontomachus are flying now, so if you live near a forest, you can find queens under objects.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

Cycles
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:43 pm

Re: Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 94200Post Cycles
Sun Jul 03, 2022 2:02 pm

SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:58 am
Cycles wrote:
Sat Jun 25, 2022 9:18 pm
Thank you for the information, will try a low humidity setup with the Psedumyrmex gracilis queen then.
They are really cool ants, just i fail to raise them. Also, just to let you know Odontomachus are flying now, so if you live near a forest, you can find queens under objects.
I think I may of found an Odontomachus queen in some leaves under a cooler on my back patio. I found workers several weeks ago, but none of them had a thorax this large.

She was having trouble climbing anything plastic, so I put a small strip of coconut fiber in the test tube setup, and have ready test tube portal for feeding.

Here is some bad pictures, I need to get macro camera.

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SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 94201Post SolenopsisKeeper
Sun Jul 03, 2022 2:59 pm

Yes, Odontomachus. Wow, you actually imitated my setups(Proven successful) pretty well, but I use sand(I might consider using coco fiber now). Yes, larvae will need substrate to successfully spin a cocoon.

If the gaster has silver hairs, it is likely O. Brunneas, if it is smallish, and the head(only) is red, it is O. Ruginodis, and otherwise it is likely O. Haemotodus. It doesn’t see To look like O. Relictus, and more on the O. Haemotodus side.

If you are to be sure on an ID, it requires a microscope or a male, I am basing that off my Odontomachus experience.


What area of Florida? Note they need small crickets, flies, small roaches, sow bugs, or termites as food during founding. They need heat to grow in a timely manner, otherwise eggs take a month or two to hatch. Feed her every 3-4 days.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

Cycles
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:43 pm

Re: Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 94203Post Cycles
Sun Jul 03, 2022 4:40 pm

SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Sun Jul 03, 2022 2:59 pm
Yes, Odontomachus. Wow, you actually imitated my setups(Proven successful) pretty well, but I use sand(I might consider using coco fiber now). Yes, larvae will need substrate to successfully spin a cocoon.

If the gaster has silver hairs, it is likely O. Brunneas, if it is smallish, and the head(only) is red, it is O. Ruginodis, and otherwise it is likely O. Haemotodus. It doesn’t see To look like O. Relictus, and more on the O. Haemotodus side.

If you are to be sure on an ID, it requires a microscope or a male, I am basing that off my Odontomachus experience.


What area of Florida? Note they need small crickets, flies, small roaches, sow bugs, or termites as food during founding. They need heat to grow in a timely manner, otherwise eggs take a month or two to hatch. Feed her every 3-4 days.
Central west coast, about 30 minutes from the Gulf.

She looks to have a black head, didn't notice any silver hairs on her gaster.

I'm looking for a local source of baby crickets and flightless fruit flies, or will order some for delivery if there are none local.

I have an AntsCanada heating cord running near but not directly touching my ant's setup.

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Requesting help identifying two queen's species

Post: # 94207Post SolenopsisKeeper
Sun Jul 03, 2022 7:46 pm

Cycles wrote:
Sun Jul 03, 2022 4:40 pm
SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Sun Jul 03, 2022 2:59 pm
Yes, Odontomachus. Wow, you actually imitated my setups(Proven successful) pretty well, but I use sand(I might consider using coco fiber now). Yes, larvae will need substrate to successfully spin a cocoon.

If the gaster has silver hairs, it is likely O. Brunneas, if it is smallish, and the head(only) is red, it is O. Ruginodis, and otherwise it is likely O. Haemotodus. It doesn’t see To look like O. Relictus, and more on the O. Haemotodus side.

If you are to be sure on an ID, it requires a microscope or a male, I am basing that off my Odontomachus experience.


What area of Florida? Note they need small crickets, flies, small roaches, sow bugs, or termites as food during founding. They need heat to grow in a timely manner, otherwise eggs take a month or two to hatch. Feed her every 3-4 days.
Central west coast, about 30 minutes from the Gulf.

She looks to have a black head, didn't notice any silver hairs on her gaster.

I'm looking for a local source of baby crickets and flightless fruit flies, or will order some for delivery if there are none local.

I have an AntsCanada heating cord running near but not directly touching my ant's setup.
Flukers.com is good for crickets, but their flies are crap. I suggest Petsmart or pet supermarket, theirs live the longest.

It’s likely haematodus as O. Relictus are only found in scrub habitats and are known to have yellowish antennae and legs. Haematodus come in really beautiful colors depending on genetics. Relictus is the only Odontomachus I don’t have yet. They are rare, and I don’t think you are in a scrub habitat.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

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