ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
Moderator: ooper01
ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
Hi. This is my first catch ever as I've always wanted to try and start an ant farm from scratch. I actually didn't catch her, she caught me. I'm sitting in my living room playing *** SPAM *** and I felt her crawling up my leg. Saw how big she was and thought, "holy crap, this has to be a queen!" Caught her and stuck her in a test tube and she's been sitting in the dark for the past 3 weeks or so. Just checked and I see some brood. I believe it's a fire ant (sorry, not familiar with proper terms) as those are very common around here. Any help identifying is appreciated. Not sure how long she is as I didn't realize she needed to be measured to help and I'm trying my best to leave her be. These are the best pics I could get with my phone.
June 22
https://imgur.com/YhOLQpK
July 13
https://imgur.com/1en56jC
June 22
https://imgur.com/YhOLQpK
July 13
https://imgur.com/1en56jC
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
I believe it is a tetramorium
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
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- Posts: 284
- Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
- Location: Orangeville
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
ID requests require a size measurement in mm. Please and thank you in advance!
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
At the time, I didn’t know I needed a measurement. I don’t want to disturb her too much right now but will get one the next time I check on her.
If this is a tetramorium, will I need to feed her during egg laying or can I wait until I move them into a new home?
If this is a tetramorium, will I need to feed her during egg laying or can I wait until I move them into a new home?
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
Assuming she is tetramorium she would be fully claustral, meaning she wouldn't benefit from food until she has her first nanitics. I'd wait for 1-3 workers to enclose, or when a worker is hanging out on the cotton waiting.
A small drop of honey when sealing a fully claustral queen in a tube can help encourage her to not pull on cotton / waste energy doing that, and seems to help surviving the founding process. It doesn't sound like yours needed it, I've seen this mostly help camponotus though anyway.
A small drop of honey when sealing a fully claustral queen in a tube can help encourage her to not pull on cotton / waste energy doing that, and seems to help surviving the founding process. It doesn't sound like yours needed it, I've seen this mostly help camponotus though anyway.
Keeper of:
Temnothorax curvispinosus x2
Camponotus nearcticus
Brachymyrmex depilis
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Camponotus herculeanus
Temnothorax curvispinosus x2
Camponotus nearcticus
Brachymyrmex depilis
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Camponotus herculeanus
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
I did my best attempt to measure and she was about 0.5-0.6 cm, which if my conversions are right is 5-6 mm. Here's a picture.
Again, this is best picture my phone can capture this close. Thanks.
Again, this is best picture my phone can capture this close. Thanks.
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
Definitely Tetramorium. Most likely T. caespitum as that is the most common US Tetramorium but this species is so widely diverse that there is no way to guarantee the species.
Tetramorium sp.
http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Tetramorium
Tetramorium sp.
http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Tetramorium
Charlottesville, VA GAN Farmer
Seller of 3D Printed Nests
Owns:
Camponotus nearcticus
Camponotus castaneous
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Phiedole bicarinata
Tetramorium immigrans
Forelius pruinosis
Seller of 3D Printed Nests
Owns:
Camponotus nearcticus
Camponotus castaneous
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Phiedole bicarinata
Tetramorium immigrans
Forelius pruinosis
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
This is Solenopsis invicta.
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.
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
Interesting. That was definitely a mistake on my part. I'm not as familiar with Solenopsis species because they're not very common where I live. Learning more every day.
Charlottesville, VA GAN Farmer
Seller of 3D Printed Nests
Owns:
Camponotus nearcticus
Camponotus castaneous
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Phiedole bicarinata
Tetramorium immigrans
Forelius pruinosis
Seller of 3D Printed Nests
Owns:
Camponotus nearcticus
Camponotus castaneous
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Phiedole bicarinata
Tetramorium immigrans
Forelius pruinosis
Re: ID Please: Caught June 21, 2018 Houston, TX
Hmmm....couple different opinions here. Is solenopsis invicta clausteral?
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