Hi all

Help with identifying the species your ants

Moderator: ooper01

Blizzardess
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:33 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Hi all

Post: # 40950Post Blizzardess
Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:16 am

Hi again,

I have updated the album but they are not that good pics. Caught her in an interesting pose though :lol: .

The only hair she seems to have is on those 2 bands on her rear, none elsewhere. She is completely black and shiny everywhere else, the lighter colour on her legs in some photos is just the shine from the light (see last photo of album).
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Hoping to catch - Brachymyrmex depilis

JustCliff
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:03 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Hi all

Post: # 40979Post JustCliff
Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:00 pm

*** SPAM *** wrote:
Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:07 pm
thx a tonne :)
hope I can learn a lot more in the future *goes to research new queen* :lol:
still curious about those appendages :o
I scrolled through your pictures, while I can't help identify, there is something I'm curious about.

One of the pictures showed her curled up as if attempting to reach her underside where those "appendages" are. Is there a chance they're mites? I didn't think there should be anything there.

Is she often attempting to reach her underside or look distressed? (ie. twitching legs as if attempting to brush that spot or curling up often?)

edit: The more I look at it the more I think it might be an optical illusion, maybe I'm seeing her further legs and it looks like there's something underneath her. IDK :lol:
Keeper of:
Temnothorax curvispinosus x2
Camponotus nearcticus
Brachymyrmex depilis
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Camponotus herculeanus

Blizzardess
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:33 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Hi all

Post: # 40980Post Blizzardess
Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:13 pm

That was the first time I saw her curled up. She does have a twitchy leg - very front left, not all the time though. That appendage looks like a little tiny leg though. Very docile otherwise. If she does have mites it may be a small scale infection but I would be very sad.
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Hoping to catch - Brachymyrmex depilis

Blizzardess
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:33 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Hi all

Post: # 40986Post Blizzardess
Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:29 pm

2 more photos uploaded
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Hoping to catch - Brachymyrmex depilis

JustCliff
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:03 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Hi all

Post: # 40989Post JustCliff
Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:35 pm

From my experience, mites are rare. I've never once caught a queen that has had them and I've caught around 16 or so, maybe that just isn't a lot. I've never been lucky enough to stumbled upon an in-progress nuptial flight though like I've seen happen to some on this board, catching 16 in a single go. Most are caught from different parks and they're always the only queen I find that day.

I've also seen a few queens with mites posted on this board as well. Either way mites aren't the end of the world for her as Mikey Bustos has shown in a few of his videos. If she does have them there is still hope.

A clearer picture or lighting her underside would help, it kinda blurs into one dark shade and I can't really see the appendages, maybe its just my monitor? :lol:
Keeper of:
Temnothorax curvispinosus x2
Camponotus nearcticus
Brachymyrmex depilis
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Camponotus herculeanus

Blizzardess
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:33 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Hi all

Post: # 40993Post Blizzardess
Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:45 pm

The second pic is the best I could get, by the rear leg. I will try some more when she positions herself just right. Don't have a test tube right now so making due with another small container which makes things harder to get photos. She has eaten some honey offered and "buried" the rest (covered it with some dirt).

Added 2 more photos of her front where the antennae can be seen better.
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Hoping to catch - Brachymyrmex depilis

Blizzardess
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:33 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Hi all

Post: # 40999Post Blizzardess
Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:12 pm

Thanks again on the ID Formica podzolica - much appreciated.
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Hoping to catch - Brachymyrmex depilis

MorbidBugg
Posts: 284
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
Location: Orangeville

Re: Hi all

Post: # 41000Post MorbidBugg
Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:14 pm

Okay so if you look at the second last picture in the album under her front leg 'armpit' that appears to be a mite. As well as the joint on the second leg may be one as well.(that one may just be reflection)
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.

Blizzardess
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:33 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Hi all

Post: # 41004Post Blizzardess
Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:19 pm

Poor thing - treatment options?
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Hoping to catch - Brachymyrmex depilis

MorbidBugg
Posts: 284
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
Location: Orangeville

Re: Hi all

Post: # 41006Post MorbidBugg
Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:43 pm

Okay from my researching (googling and reading any and all journals and discussions on mites that I could find since I found out my C. Novaborancis had a mite (luckily it just appears to be the one) there's not much research on the actual treatment. The best go to solutions are ones Mikey goes to with his colonies(which have had both effects recovery or unfortunately death)

But there seems to be debate about when is safe to use these methods and if they are actually viable... right now it's a waiting game but she does sound like she maybe annoyed by the mite so perhaps someone has some really good tips for ya. My queen doesn't seem bothered by hers at the moment so I'm gonna monitor till hybernation and maybe before when I get a few workers established I'll try a piece of lemon... sorry I couldn't bring better news but there are options available I'd check out The AC videos on mites first though.
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.

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