Three unidentified ant queens

Help with identifying the species your ants

Moderator: ooper01

Post Reply
Delphie
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:40 am
Location: Castlegar, BC

Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 15046Post Delphie
Tue Nov 29, 2016 12:17 am

I'm hoping the folks here can help me to identify these three ants. I've been trying to do so, but having trouble.

Ant #1
Found walking down a path in a local park September 7, Southern BC. Approx 5.5 MM Suspect she's dead
http://www.mediafire.com/view/z21100k6w ... 224339.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/view/hs74h7y7e ... 224501.jpg

Ant # 2
Found in the same park, different path, September 15 approx 6 MM Mainly pine/spruce forest

http://www.mediafire.com/view/mhkrg1p4h ... 224558.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/view/1roshozt8 ... 224615.jpg

Ant #3
Found a small colony under a rock, same park, In loamy soil September 27. The Queen is about 4.5 MM, the workers approx 3 MM There is a small cluster of eggs that one of the workers packs around with her.
The colony was polymorphic. The one large headed ant worker I collected got her head stuck under the lid of the chamber. Ouch!

http://www.mediafire.com/view/d0au4xbx4 ... 224939.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/view/2on53x1th ... 225031.jpg

User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 15054Post Batspiderfish
Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:07 am

All of these measurements are short for what these ants seem to be, which is Lasius sp., Formica sp., and Aphaenogaster occidentalis.

Please embed your photographs:
http://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2166
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.

Delphie
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:40 am
Location: Castlegar, BC

Re: Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 15081Post Delphie
Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:35 pm

Sorry, try as I might, I can't seem to pull it off.

User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 15082Post Batspiderfish
Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:50 pm

You just right-click on the images and it says "copy URL". And, for some reason, pasting the URL and going to the image deletes the link from your clipboard, which is one of the dumbest things I've seen from an image host. If you just paste the link here and add the img brackets, it works fine.

Image
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.

Delphie
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:40 am
Location: Castlegar, BC

Re: Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 15107Post Delphie
Fri Dec 02, 2016 12:35 am

Well, it isn't much of a picture, but an hour of time, three different hosts, and six deleted posts later, we have ignition! Thank you for the help :)

Image

Annexis

Re: Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 15290Post Annexis
Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:58 pm

number 1 s lasius

User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 15291Post Batspiderfish
Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:22 pm

Myrmica would be a sensible guess for a queen of that reported size, but like I said, I think these measurements are useless guesses. It looks more like Aphaenogaster, especially considering the size difference between queen and worker. Also notice that the antennae don't appear to be clubbed.

North American Myrmica cannot be identified to the species in your typical macro photograph. Their identification criteria goes much farther than coloration or easy morphological features. You generally need to dissect specimens and look at cross-sections to identify Myrmica to the species.
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.

Delphie
Posts: 59
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:40 am
Location: Castlegar, BC

Re: Three unidentified ant queens

Post: # 30752Post Delphie
Sat Sep 02, 2017 5:53 pm

Sorry Folks, I have no idea where these photos came from. I did a stupid thing and cleared some "old" photos, not realizing what would happen. It looks to me as if Imgur filled in with something that should not be here. I have reported the posts.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 33 guests