On warm summer day while going to my backyard to do some stuff, a queen landed on my hand. Queen is rather small ( ~3-4mm, with bright and nice coloring ). After getting her inside and put in test tube, it took us some time, and knowledge of AntsAreUs to ID the queen as Cryptopone ochracea.
After some digging and translating from Italian anting forum I managed to get some info on this rather unknown species. They are cryptic and semi-claustral species that usually dig their nests at around ~1m of depth and as such avoid hibernation. Queens dig slim but long tunnel networks which they patrol in effort to hunt springtails which seem to be their main food ( they dig so small tunnels, I don't see how anything else could fit in anyways ).
First night queen spent in test tube where I gave her some honey and fruitfly, as well as 5 crushed springtails. As far as I know, she only ate springtails.
Next day I moved her in one of those urine sample cups which I filled halfway with packed soil, and added some leaf litter on top as well as single rice and tossed in bunch of springtails.
There is evidence of queen digging ( sadly no tunnels on sides, only few tunnels visible either below leaf litter, or very bottom of cup ). Queen is very active, and as mentioned on Italian forum, sensitive to light. Moment I shine light, I can expect queen to be visible withing 10-20 seconds.
So far, I believe she is doing great, she has made effort in digging and active hunting, and I expect to see some signs of workers/eggs in spring ( As far as I understood from crappy translation, they will often carry first, single egg with them )
The day I caught her
That night in test tube ( notice lack of springtails on foil )
Right now, in her current "formicarium" after I uncovered it, letting light come in
I'm very likely going to post little updates so far, but as soon as I get endoscope I might try to take some videos of her being active
