14 replies to this topic

[AntsBrooklyn]

Hey, guys. Thanks for the help!

1. Location of collection: Residential block, on granite steps.

 

2. Date of collection: 7/24/20

3. Habitat of collection: Granite, concrete, cobblestone, and brick. Found walking on granite steps.
 

4. Weather: It had rained a few times this week including the day before being found. It's humid, and it has been hot. Found on the first cooler day, at 79F, late afternoon.

 

5. Appearance: It appears to be a light brownish orange color. It had both wings at time of capture, but it was not flying, didn't attempt to fly away, and appears to be shedding it's wings (starting shortly after capture).

 

 

 

Attached Images

• 
• 

[AnthonyP163]

This is a Lasius murphyi queen, she's a Lasius social parasite.

[TechAnt]

You will need host species brood in order for this queen to found a colony. These girls are a little tricky to raise.

[AntsBrooklyn]

This is a Lasius murphyi queen, she's a Lasius social parasite.

Thanks! That was fast!

 

You will need host species brood in order for this queen to found a colony. These girls are a little tricky to raise.

Is it pointless for me to keep her?

Would I have to collect brood specifically from Lassius neoniger?

 

Thanks for the help!

[TechAnt]

This is a Lasius murphyi queen, she's a Lasius social parasite.

Thanks! That was fast!

You will need host species brood in order for this queen to found a colony. These girls are a little tricky to raise.

Is it pointless for me to keep her?
Would I have to collect brood specifically from Lassius neoniger?

Thanks for the help!

If there are no Lasius ants nearby I doubt you could keep her. I am not sure about neoniger, but you could try collecting some pupae and giving it to her. I’d wait for a expert to see this before making any big decisions. It never hurts to find pupae and see if she cares for it though.

Edited by TechAnt, July 24 2020 - 10:34 PM.

[AnthonyP163]

This species probably only uses Lasius neoniger. She will not open pupae by herself, but you can give her pupae from a colony to help her get the scent. Make sure you gather all your workers/brood from the same colony. See https://www.formicul...cial-parasites/

[AntsBrooklyn]

This species probably only uses Lasius neoniger. She will not open pupae by herself, but you can give her pupae from a colony to help her get the scent. Make sure you gather all your workers/brood from the same colony. See https://www.formicul...cial-parasites/

Are L. neoniger yellow?

 

These wouldn't happen to be them, right?

Attached Images

• 

[RushmoreAnts]

 

This species probably only uses Lasius neoniger. She will not open pupae by herself, but you can give her pupae from a colony to help her get the scent. Make sure you gather all your workers/brood from the same colony. See https://www.formicul...cial-parasites/

Are L. neoniger yellow?

 

These wouldn't happen to be them, right?

 

These look like neoniger or something similar. Either should work.

[AntsBrooklyn]

 

 

This species probably only uses Lasius neoniger. She will not open pupae by herself, but you can give her pupae from a colony to help her get the scent. Make sure you gather all your workers/brood from the same colony. See https://www.formicul...cial-parasites/

Are L. neoniger yellow?

 

These wouldn't happen to be them, right?

 

These look like neoniger or something similar. Either should work.

 

Really?! That would be sick! Lol

 

Here is another pic of some that I captured with a honey lure. I accidentally killed one, so I put it in with the queen, and she seems to be ignoring it. Should I put a live one in with her to gauge the response?

 

 

 

Attached Images

• 
• 

[RushmoreAnts]

Should I put a live one in with her to gauge the response?

You could try it. However, the first worker is most often killed, so just beware. The more workers you put in, the more likely they are to accept. Just give the queen 10 or 15 minutes between each introduction, though, to spread the workers' pheromones all over herself. If she absolutely will not accept any after trying a couple dozen times (eventually you'll want to introduce them in groups, as individually would take forever), then she probably won't accept them at all.

[AntsBrooklyn]

 

Should I put a live one in with her to gauge the response?

You could try it. However, the first worker is most often killed, so just beware. The more workers you put in, the more likely they are to accept. Just give the queen 10 or 15 minutes between each introduction, though, to spread the workers' pheromones all over herself. If she absolutely will not accept any after trying a couple dozen times (eventually you'll want to introduce them in groups, as individually would take forever), then she probably won't accept them at all.

 

So, I left thedead one in there, and I also just added a sleeping (cooled) worker. It woke up and becan to climb over her, and then left her alone. She walked up to both of them (dead and alive) and then left them alone as well. Those are good signs, yes? Any reason to remove the dead worker now?

 

She doesn't seem to be covering herself with their chemicals, though I may just have missed it, but no obvious fighting from what I can tell. They're currently staying separate from each other in the tube, since their first interaction.

[AnthonyP163]

Are you sure the ants seen drinking honey aren't Tapinoma sessile?

[AntsBrooklyn]

Are you sure the ants seen drinking honey aren't Tapinoma sessile?

I'm not. Would the queen just ignore the one that's in there, if they were, or would she kill it? Right now, they're doing fine together.

[AnthonyP163]

It all really depends on the queens mood, she might kill any worker or just panic. Make sure you are only using Lasius neoniger.

[AntsBrooklyn]

Sadly, she passed away. I released the worker, and the other surviving workers. I'm going to start with a Tetramorium colony, as well as a Pheidole one. Tetramorium are my favorite small ants, and it will be cool seeing the Big Headed majors being put to use, with the others.