18 replies to this topic

[Canadant]

Here are some more close up pics of my Formica queen. If you're able to make an ID attempt that would be appreciated. Sorry for the pic quality. Hope they can provide some more information.

Caught: Mid/Late July 2019
Where: Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Wandering aimlessly in my unpaved (Grrr) parking lot.
Colour: Red thorax, black gastor
Size: About 9-10mm
Interesting Notes: She's a beauty!! Skittish but calming down now with her twenty or so workers.

I've guessed F. incerta using the guide in the general forums but my knowledge is not as sound as some more experienced members on here. Thanks to Ferox Formicae! for the formica post on the seven NA groups.

Thanks so much!!

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Edited by Canadant, April 8 2020 - 3:29 PM.

[Ants_Dakota]

The color of the photo makes it hard to tell.

i don't know if this species is up there, but my guess would be subcericea. 

But it might be too smooth for that...

[Nare]

I'm thinking she's Formica neorufibarbis. Colouring looks right, head shape also looks right. I can't see any hair, but that's likely due to the lighting. I don't think she's pallidefulva-group, because of the colouring, but also it looks to me like most pallidefulva have rounder, narrower heads. Is her head black or dark as well? If so, I would definitely say neorufibarbis.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I want to say she's parasitic because of her mandibles, am I correct?

[Ants_Dakota]

But she raised her own workers, right?

[Nare]

I want to say she's parasitic because of her mandibles, am I correct?

Mandibles aren't the best indicator of whether she's parasitic. Many parasitic Formica have large heads and jaws (for killing queens), and they do often have a red bicolor. However, some parasitic queens (especially in the microgyna group are diminutive in size and sometimes completely different in colour to their workers. But generally, any parasitic Formica that might raise it's own workers (F. aserva exclusively and only in some locales) will have a larger, beefier head than this queen. She's not parasitic.

[Canadant]

But she raised her own workers, right?

Yes. She laid her brood and that's it. 

[Canadant]

I thought incerta because of the lack of pubescence. She has some hairs on her gastor but nothing like on a subsericea. She seems smaller to me than other Formica species I've encountered. I can't get a good read on her head colour either. It seems darker but not as black as her gastor. 

[Nare]

I thought incerta because of the lack of pubescence. She has some hairs on her gastor but nothing like on a subsericea. She seems smaller to me than other Formica species I've encountered. I can't get a good read on her head colour either. It seems darker but not as black as her gastor. 

But she's got a red thorax, right? Not bronze/yellowy?

[Canadant]

I thought incerta because of the lack of pubescence. She has some hairs on her gastor but nothing like on a subsericea. She seems smaller to me than other Formica species I've encountered. I can't get a good read on her head colour either. It seems darker but not as black as her gastor.

But she's got a red thorax, right? Not bronze/yellowy?

Yup a dark red.

[Nare]

 

 

I thought incerta because of the lack of pubescence. She has some hairs on her gastor but nothing like on a subsericea. She seems smaller to me than other Formica species I've encountered. I can't get a good read on her head colour either. It seems darker but not as black as her gastor.

But she's got a red thorax, right? Not bronze/yellowy?

Yup a dark red.

 

Okay. I'd still say Formica neorufibarbis then.

[Canadant]

Using antweb and their Nova scotia species I think Nare may be correct. If the pattern on top of her thorax means anything it's identical to this pick of a queen neorufibarbis. Similar head too. Now I got to look at some care sheets. 

 

Edited by Canadant, April 8 2020 - 1:15 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Yep, she's F. neorufibarbis. Care will be nearly identical to most other Formica.

[RushmoreAnts]

Non parasitic Formica, that is.

[Canadant]

Awesome guys (that is an umbrella term for guys and gals) thank you! Look forward to sharing their growth in my all inclusive journal.

Thanks again!

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I think we're all guys here...

[RushmoreAnts]

I concur.

[Canadant]

Yeah... we know what I'm talkin about though. Lol.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Do we now?