Hey everyone,
I collected this sweetheart scurrying across my kitchen floor about three weeks ago at the end of July. There appears to be a nest located in the wall between my kitchen and bathroom. Here is a picture of some of the workers from the wall nest, collecting a seed.
1. Location (on a map) of collection: Boulder, Colorado.
2. Date of collection: July 22
3. Habitat of collection: Urban-indoors, Kitchen floor, evening.
4. Length (from head to gaster): 7 mm Queen, 1 mm workers
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark black head and gastor, brown legs
6. Distinguishing characteristics: ??
7. Distinguishing behavior: Accepts honey
8. Nest description:
9. Nuptial flight time and date: I am assuming she mated sometime in the morning and then scurried out at night from the wall because she didn't have her wings anymore when I found her and she was fertile. I read that Tetramorium colonies can have multiple queens, so can they also mate in the nest??
I am inclined to believe she is a Tetramorium caespitum queen but I am not entirely sure. I read that Tetramorium are full-claustral but she has accepted honey I have given her. I am keeping her in a small needle box that I put a damp cottonball and a drop of honey in. I have to change the cotton for black mold about every two days, and I don't want to keep disturbing her. This is the first queen ant I have ever caught and I just want to make sure she is strong, safe, and healthy. Any advice for a new poster and a new ant keeper would be really awesome.
Cheers
