9 replies to this topic

[Bcam43]

Hi all,

 

Another day, another queen. I hope.

 

Today I found this Myrmecia piliventris in Panton Hill, Victoria, AUS.

 

But I can't confirm if its a queen. They seem quite rare and I haven't been able to find any photo's of the queen online.

 

Can someone confirm if it is indeed a queen.

 

Edited by Bcam43, May 8 2016 - 2:08 AM.

[Zeiss]

I looked at some Alexander Wild photos, and this does appear to be a queen, to me.  If you look at the top sides of its thorax, look to see if there are any wing scars. This will make sure it is a queen or not.

Edited by Zeiss, January 26 2016 - 1:29 AM.

[Bcam43]

There is what looks like wing scars on both sides but I don't really know what they look like.

[swagman]

It is a queen, but I think it´s Myrmecia fulvipes.

Once I had a small colony of M. fulvipes and your queen looks very similar. 

Especially the mandibles are different in both species. Myrmecia piliventris have almost no teeth on the mandibles.

 

Here are some pictures:  http://www.australia...a_fulvipes.html

[Bcam43]

It is a queen, but I think it´s Myrmecia fulvipes.
Once I had a small colony of M. fulvipes and your queen looks very similar.
Especially the mandibles are different in both species. Myrmecia piliventris have almost no teeth on the mandibles.

Here are some pictures: http://www.australia...a_fulvipes.html

Yes, you are definitely right.

Do you have any care tips for this sp.

[swagman]

Well, I don´t know about your experience with rearing Myrmecia, so I just give you a larger answer.

 

As a semi-claustral queen she needs a foraging area with a nest in it. A test tube may work as a nest, but some Myrmecia don´t do well in them. Especially the larvae have sometimes problems to spin their cocoon on the smooth surface. Also, these ants need sand to cover their larvae with it for cocooning. The nest should be covered.

 

And it´s better to use only one box without any tubing or so. The outworld is the formicarium, so to speak. These ants are using their eyes for orientation, so they may have problems to find a second box connected with a tube. It´s better to keep it easy at the beginning.

 

Founding queens of Myrmecia need food for themselves and their larvae. They eat honey or sugar water and small insects. They need more insects when larvae are present. Soft bodied insects like flies, small spiders or termites are better for such small species.

I know that Myrmecia are like killer ants, but please, offer her only freshly killed insects. You don´t want a small cricket to find a nice juicy meal inside the ant nest.

Just wait for her to have a few workers to do the killing.

And some founding queens are a bit choosey, so just try different foods then.  

 

 

That may be helpful as well:  http://www.formicult...-for-beginners/

[Bcam43]

I'm pleased to announce the arrival of my very first Myrmecia fulvipes nanitic!

 

 

She's also laid 3 more eggs now hatched into larvae!

 

B.

[Canadian anter]

 you are one of the few(thousands) to do this succesfuly!

Good on you!

[Rstheant]

Update?

[CoolColJ]

Update?

he's the owner of Ant keeping Depot

Pretty sure this is them, but he may have several colonies since then

Edited by CoolColJ, January 19 2019 - 4:48 AM.