13 replies to this topic

[Crystals]

On June 13, 2015 I turned over a rock and found a small 3 queen Myrmica colony.  I collected them and put them in a small 3x5" formicarium.  They only had one or two larvae.

 

 

As of July 23, not much has happened.  Some brood has been produced and is close to eclosing.  Moved them to a formicarium with a better hydration system.

 

 

[AntsAreUs]

Do you plan on trying to add more queens?

[Crystals]

No, it is really hard to ID Myrmica queens and with my luck it would be a different species that they would kill.

When this colony produces alates, I would be curious to see what will happen.

[AntsAreUs]

No, it is really hard to ID Myrmica queens and with my luck it would be a different species that they would kill.

When this colony produces alates, I would be curious to see what will happen.

I agree with producing alates, would you try to introduce males to see if they will mate?

[Crystals]

I have to see when they produce alates, since most of my colonies are on reverse hibernation.  I have never found a male Myrmica outside of a wild nest before.  We will see how things play out.  This colony may be years from producing alates.

[Crystals]

The clean nest is no longer so clean.  I don't think I have ever seen such a messy bunch of Myrmica before, then again, I never kept this particular species before.  I think I build deeper tunnels in their next nest.

The colony is growing, there are at least 115 workers and a fair bit of brood.  4 male alates have also appeared in the nest.

Typical of all Myrmica I have ever kept, they don't seem to want to stop for hibernation.

 

[dermy]

I guess all Myrmica colonies, no matter species are all messy!

 

The Colony is looking good, and looks to be getting larger soon as well

[Myrmicinae]

How is this colony doing?  Are they in hibernation now?

[Crystals]

They are doing well, still growing with no stop in brood production.

There are quite a few more ants than my last post, at least double if not triple.  I will have to update this with some pictures when I get a chance.

[James C. Trager]

Best I can see in these pictures, this could be Myrmica alaskensis. But it's hard to ID Myrmica even with specimens, a good scope, and expertise, so this is at best an educated guess.

[Crystals]

That is interesting.  I have never really tried to ID Myrmica yet, they can all look so similar, even under a microscope.  It is unusual to find Myrmica with lots of red in my location, so all I knew is that it is a species I have not looked at before.

I may have to temporarily kidnap a live one for a photo that will be better suited for ID purposes, I know I have some free time during the Christmas break.

[James C. Trager]

An oblique view (above and to the side about 45 deg.) of the head, with at least one scape base in clear focus helps. Also one showing scape bases like this: https://www.antweb.o...shot=h&number=1.

Both oblique and dorsal views of the mesonotal dorsum also useful. 

For these suggestions, I'm going oon what I look at when I have them under the scope.

[Crystals]

Here is an updated overview of the nest.  (I will get those closeups when I have more time...)

 

A lot of brood in the larval stage, and at least 25 workers in the foraging area.

 

Half of the male alates ran around in the outworld one day when a weather front passed through.  They never returned to the nest and died a couple of days later.  Still a few males in the nest.

 

[Crystals]

I put this colony into hibernation on Jan. 15.

 

Shortly afterwards, it was given to someone else.