Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

What is wrong with this queen?

Started By DJoseph98 , Jun 14 2019 3:14 PM

  • Please log in to reply
7 replies to this topic

#1 Offline DJoseph98 - Posted June 14 2019 - 3:14 PM

DJoseph98

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 112 posts
  • LocationCentral Kentucky

So I caught this queen on May 24, 2019. She had what appeared to be underdeveloped hind wings (and maybe they are rotting or something idk) and found her in the middle of a T. immigrans flight (none of which had this). I'm pretty sure this is a Pheidole sp. Now, this wouldn't usually raise too many concerns but when I came back the next day after placing her in a tube setup, there was a bunch of white fluid (dried?) stuck on the glass and in a pattern as if it was dragged or rubbed all over. So... I'm not certain what to think of that.

I've been away for a week so I don't know how this has progressed but I'm uncertain of what this is. Is this a disease and I should work to contain the contamination? A sign of a parasite? 

Here is a picture.

3KXqNUe.jpg


  • FeedTheAnts likes this

Current Colonies

1 x Camponotus nearcticus (Monogynous), 1 x Crematogaster cerasi (Monogynous), 1 x Formica cf. subsericea (Polygynous Two-Queen), 1 x Formica cf. pallidefulva (Monogynous, single worker),

1 x Lasius cf. americanus (Pleometrotic Founding, now Monogynous), 1 x Tetramorium immigrans (Monogynous)

 

Current Founding Units

1 x Formica cf. subsericea (Monogynous)

 

Up-To-Date as of 9/15/2020

 

#2 Offline TheRealAntMan - Posted June 14 2019 - 5:38 PM

TheRealAntMan

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 48 posts
  • LocationChicago,IL

Your queen looks to be brachypterous. It's not as common in Hymenopterans as they are in other insects. You should consider yourself lucky since it's known in at least 20 ant genera.


Edited by TheRealAntMan, May 6 2020 - 9:22 PM.

  • DJoseph98, FeedTheAnts and Froggy like this
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to their relative body size
 

 

#3 Offline Acutus - Posted June 14 2019 - 5:43 PM

Acutus

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 835 posts
  • LocationMaryland

Your queen looks to be brachypterous. It's not as common in Hymenopterans as they are in other insects. You should consider yourself lucky since it's known in at least 20 ant genera. You should take a lot of pics of her right now because she'll shed them in a few hours.

Definition here! :D

 

https://www.amentsoc...s/brachypterous


  • DJoseph98 likes this

Billy

 

Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

Camponotus castaneus

Formica subsericea

#4 Offline DJoseph98 - Posted June 14 2019 - 5:47 PM

DJoseph98

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 112 posts
  • LocationCentral Kentucky
She hasn't yet after about a week. I haven't been home to check in a week but I will as soon as I get back. I'll update with new photos.
Wait... Does this mean she probably isn't mated??
  • Herdo likes this

Current Colonies

1 x Camponotus nearcticus (Monogynous), 1 x Crematogaster cerasi (Monogynous), 1 x Formica cf. subsericea (Polygynous Two-Queen), 1 x Formica cf. pallidefulva (Monogynous, single worker),

1 x Lasius cf. americanus (Pleometrotic Founding, now Monogynous), 1 x Tetramorium immigrans (Monogynous)

 

Current Founding Units

1 x Formica cf. subsericea (Monogynous)

 

Up-To-Date as of 9/15/2020

 

#5 Offline Zeiss - Posted June 15 2019 - 2:37 AM

Zeiss

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,230 posts
  • LocationFountain Valley

She hasn't yet after about a week. I haven't been home to check in a week but I will as soon as I get back. I'll update with new photos.
Wait... Does this mean she probably isn't mated??

Not exactly.  Just because a queen doesn't shed wings does not mean she is infertile.


  • DJoseph98 likes this

#6 Offline Acutus - Posted June 15 2019 - 4:34 AM

Acutus

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 835 posts
  • LocationMaryland

 

She hasn't yet after about a week. I haven't been home to check in a week but I will as soon as I get back. I'll update with new photos.
Wait... Does this mean she probably isn't mated??

Not exactly.  Just because a queen doesn't shed wings does not mean she is infertile.

 

 

True but she wouldn't have been able to fly in the first place. 


  • DJoseph98 and TennesseeAnts like this

Billy

 

Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

Camponotus castaneus

Formica subsericea

#7 Offline DJoseph98 - Posted June 15 2019 - 6:29 AM

DJoseph98

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 112 posts
  • LocationCentral Kentucky



She hasn't yet after about a week. I haven't been home to check in a week but I will as soon as I get back. I'll update with new photos.
Wait... Does this mean she probably isn't mated??

Not exactly. Just because a queen doesn't shed wings does not mean she is infertile.

True but she wouldn't have been able to fly in the first place.
That's what I was afraid of. 😭

Current Colonies

1 x Camponotus nearcticus (Monogynous), 1 x Crematogaster cerasi (Monogynous), 1 x Formica cf. subsericea (Polygynous Two-Queen), 1 x Formica cf. pallidefulva (Monogynous, single worker),

1 x Lasius cf. americanus (Pleometrotic Founding, now Monogynous), 1 x Tetramorium immigrans (Monogynous)

 

Current Founding Units

1 x Formica cf. subsericea (Monogynous)

 

Up-To-Date as of 9/15/2020

 

#8 Offline Zeiss - Posted June 15 2019 - 11:37 AM

Zeiss

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,230 posts
  • LocationFountain Valley

 

 

 

She hasn't yet after about a week. I haven't been home to check in a week but I will as soon as I get back. I'll update with new photos.
Wait... Does this mean she probably isn't mated??

Not exactly. Just because a queen doesn't shed wings does not mean she is infertile.

True but she wouldn't have been able to fly in the first place.
That's what I was afraid of.

 

If you read TheRealAntMan's reply, he stated she is brachypterous: having reduced wings.  I haven't attempted to ID your queen, but if the species as a whole has reduced wings, then there is a good chance they do not fly to mate.  There are a good number of ant species that don't mate in the air anyways.


  • Martialis, TennesseeAnts, TheRealAntMan and 1 other like this
Back to General Anting · Next Unread Topic →


1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users