Tiny Queen Found in Bathroom

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Swirlby
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat May 21, 2022 11:24 pm

Tiny Queen Found in Bathroom

Post: # 95820Post Swirlby
Wed Aug 17, 2022 2:54 pm

Size: 7 mm
When: August 14th, around 4:00 PM, nuptial flight was likely the night before or the morning of
Where: Southern Wisconsin, in a gas station bathroom, small town
Appearance: She is small, with a dark orangish-red color to her. She still has her wings, but they are a bit shredded, which makes me think she tried to shed them but didn't finish for whatever reason. She has a segmented petiole and a small gaster. Her head is mostly round in shape. If her head wasn't wider than her mesosoma, I'd have assumed she was a male at first glance.
Behaviour: She didn't move much inside the tube once she was put in it. She stays in one place, generally, and seems to prefer resting upside down, on the top of the tube.
Picture(s):
https://i.imgur.com/ah4lUvt.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7mBDsYw.jpg
Additionally: The gas station where I caught her keeps its exterior lights on during the night. These lights are underneath awnings, and I noticed many nights at the end of my shift where I could see males flying underneath the awning lights. I've managed to catch two other queens here, both outside, when I wasn't even actively looking for them.

Sorry my images are very blurry. I don't have a good camera.

SYUTEO
Posts: 1395
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:58 am
Location: Malaysia

Re: Tiny Queen Found in Bathroom

Post: # 95827Post SYUTEO
Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:29 pm

Can't tell for sure but looks like Myrmica.

Swirlby
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat May 21, 2022 11:24 pm

Re: Tiny Queen Found in Bathroom

Post: # 95829Post Swirlby
Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:33 am

Looking at local Myrmica species, my guess is that it's a punctiventris. I'm just going off the color with this. Their nuptial flights aren't supposed to start until August.

Swirlby
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat May 21, 2022 11:24 pm

Re: Tiny Queen Found in Bathroom

Post: # 95834Post Swirlby
Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:07 pm

Swirlby wrote:
Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:33 am
Looking at local Myrmica species, my guess is that it's a punctiventris. I'm just going off the color with this. Their nuptial flights aren't supposed to start until August.
I meant September. My bad.

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