ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
Moderator: ooper01
-
- Posts: 284
- Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
- Location: Orangeville
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
Those are waaaay better pictures. Good job. The one with the pepper shaped gaster is a male... the other one may be a small female...
But let me get back to gushing on your picture. Is that fuzz on top of that ant? These are quite excellent photos good job.
But let me get back to gushing on your picture. Is that fuzz on top of that ant? These are quite excellent photos good job.
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
Which picture has the fuzz in question?
-
- Posts: 284
- Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
- Location: Orangeville
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
The second picture from the new set of links in the third you can kinda see it as well but not as much
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
The fuzz in that pic is condensation or moisture within the test tube
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
"sp." just stands for species. There is also "spp." for species pluralis (more than one species) and "cf." for comparable to (when you can't prove an identity but it looks similar, e.g. Formica cf. ulkei).
Which brings me to the identity of the reddish "male". She is actually a social parasite queen, Formica ulkei from the exsecta group of Formica. She will need about 6-8 Formica worker pupae in order to start a colony (and a snack, in the meanwhile).
I can't really tell much from the photographs of the black queens because they are pretty dark, but all are claustral Formica queens.
Which brings me to the identity of the reddish "male". She is actually a social parasite queen, Formica ulkei from the exsecta group of Formica. She will need about 6-8 Formica worker pupae in order to start a colony (and a snack, in the meanwhile).
I can't really tell much from the photographs of the black queens because they are pretty dark, but all are claustral Formica queens.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
-
- Posts: 284
- Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
- Location: Orangeville
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
That is cool, it just goes to show that certain tell traits can be deceiving..Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:15 pm
Which brings me to the identity of the reddish "male". She is actually a social parasite queen, Formica ulkei from the exsecta group of Formica. She will need about 6-8 Formica worker pupae in order to start a colony (and a snack, in the meanwhile).
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
Sp. stands for species
Keeping:
x1 Tapinoma erraticum
x2 Lasius niger
Founding:
x7 Camponotus
x1 Unknown
Wishlist:
Tetramorium sp
x1 Tapinoma erraticum
x2 Lasius niger
Founding:
x7 Camponotus
x1 Unknown
Wishlist:
Tetramorium sp
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:15 pm"sp." just stands for species. There is also "spp." for species pluralis (more than one species) and "cf." for comparable to (when you can't prove an identity but it looks similar, e.g. Formica cf. ulkei).
Which brings me to the identity of the reddish "male". She is actually a social parasite queen, Formica ulkei from the exsecta group of Formica. She will need about 6-8 Formica worker pupae in order to start a colony (and a snack, in the meanwhile).
I can't really tell much from the photographs of the black queens because they are pretty dark, but all are claustral Formica queens.
By this do you mean I can feed her and wait for my other new formica to get some pupae? Or will she need the pupae sooner than the new ladies can produce? Also just thinking out loud could I group up 2 or 3 of these other Formica queens and take some pupae from the group as to not stunt 1queen to badly ? Provided they are the type to get along ?
I'll try to get clearer pics of the gasters of the black ones tonight
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
Here are some updated gaster shots. Depending on the angle the lighter areas seem almost see through.
https://imgur.com/a/P1SAXX5
https://imgur.com/a/P1SAXX5
Re: ID: Southwestern Ontario Canada
Hey Batspiderfish did these new pics give any more clarity ?
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests