Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
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Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
This is another tiny queen ant I collected today alongside some solenopsis molesta. During collection I thought they were the same, but closer inspection revealed that these ants are about 5.5mm long while the solenopsis molesta is about 4.5 to 5mm long. Also, while solenopsis molesta has an amber colored gaster, these queens have a black gaster with pronounced 'bumps'?
Here are more details:
Size: 5.5mm
When: August 18th 2022, early evening
Where: Ottawa, Ontario - on the sidewalks close to parks.
Appearance: red/dark amber head and thorax, 2 petiole nodes, and a black gaster with pronounced 'bumps'
Behaviour: Very calm on the sidewalk and equally calm in the test tube.
Picture(s): https://imgur.com/a/LhaU4rG
Thanks for your help!
Here are more details:
Size: 5.5mm
When: August 18th 2022, early evening
Where: Ottawa, Ontario - on the sidewalks close to parks.
Appearance: red/dark amber head and thorax, 2 petiole nodes, and a black gaster with pronounced 'bumps'
Behaviour: Very calm on the sidewalk and equally calm in the test tube.
Picture(s): https://imgur.com/a/LhaU4rG
Thanks for your help!
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- Posts: 2402
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- Location: United States, Florida
Re: Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
Solenopsis sp., either has parasites or fertile due to physogastric gasterKailas wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:49 pmThis is another tiny queen ant I collected today alongside some solenopsis molesta. During collection I thought they were the same, but closer inspection revealed that these ants are about 5.5mm long while the solenopsis molesta is about 4.5 to 5mm long. Also, while solenopsis molesta has an amber colored gaster, these queens have a black gaster with pronounced 'bumps'?
Here are more details:
Size: 5.5mm
When: August 18th 2022, early evening
Where: Ottawa, Ontario - on the sidewalks close to parks.
Appearance: red/dark amber head and thorax, 2 petiole nodes, and a black gaster with pronounced 'bumps'
Behaviour: Very calm on the sidewalk and equally calm in the test tube.
Picture(s): https://imgur.com/a/LhaU4rG
Thanks for your help!
When you accidentally reply to yourself…
Re: Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
Thanks for your help! I collected 5 of them, all look the same, so I wonder what are the chances of all 4 new queens looking like this due to parasitic infection (unless parasitic infections are so contagious that they could have spread to these 4 and likely more queens easily). I also found multiple solenopsis molesta queens in the same place showing no signs of infection.
So I'm leaning towards assuming they are fertile and without parasites, but isn't a physogastric gaster unusual in a new queen? Why would there be so many of them?
Sorry for all the questions, just very curious.
Also wanted to know if you believe that these queens would be polygynous. I was thinking of combining them into one colony like I did with the solenopsis molesta queens.
So I'm leaning towards assuming they are fertile and without parasites, but isn't a physogastric gaster unusual in a new queen? Why would there be so many of them?
Sorry for all the questions, just very curious.
Also wanted to know if you believe that these queens would be polygynous. I was thinking of combining them into one colony like I did with the solenopsis molesta queens.
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- Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
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Re: Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
I wouldn’t risk polygyny as it in most ants it depends on the population, my guess is they would be plemeotrophic.Kailas wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 4:23 pmThanks for your help! I collected 5 of them, all look the same, so I wonder what are the chances of all 4 new queens looking like this due to parasitic infection (unless parasitic infections are so contagious that they could have spread to these 4 and likely more queens easily). I also found multiple solenopsis molesta queens in the same place showing no signs of infection.
So I'm leaning towards assuming they are fertile and without parasites, but isn't a physogastric gaster unusual in a new queen? Why would there be so many of them?
Sorry for all the questions, just very curious.
Also wanted to know if you believe that these queens would be polygynous. I was thinking of combining them into one colony like I did with the solenopsis molesta queens.
All my C. Tortoganus queens get really phyogastric as soon as I catch them. It’s not that uncommon, but I have rarely seen it in Solenopsis invicta.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…
Re: Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
Thanks, learning a lot!
Follow-up question, what does 'plemeotrophic' mean? Can't seem to find a good definition online.
Follow-up question, what does 'plemeotrophic' mean? Can't seem to find a good definition online.
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- Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
- Location: United States, Florida
Re: Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
It is where multiple queens will found together, but when workers arrive or as the colony gets bigger a queen will be eliminated
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Re: Tiny Queen Ant Identification Part 2
Solenopsis MolestaKailas wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:49 pmThis is another tiny queen ant I collected today alongside some solenopsis molesta. During collection I thought they were the same, but closer inspection revealed that these ants are about 5.5mm long while the solenopsis molesta is about 4.5 to 5mm long. Also, while solenopsis molesta has an amber colored gaster, these queens have a black gaster with pronounced 'bumps'?
Here are more details:
Size: 5.5mm
When: August 18th 2022, early evening
Where: Ottawa, Ontario - on the sidewalks close to parks.
Appearance: red/dark amber head and thorax, 2 petiole nodes, and a black gaster with pronounced 'bumps'
Behaviour: Very calm on the sidewalk and equally calm in the test tube.
Picture(s): https://imgur.com/a/LhaU4rG
Thanks for your help!
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