28 replies to this topic

[Lamarr]

Very nice update! The photos look great

[madbiologist]

F. incerta and F. dolosa share the dark thoracic spots on the queen so… I will need workers on all of these to make final determinations.  But it will be great if I can link the worker ID to the queen for the future for other finders of Formica queens.

 

Where have you found that both F. dolosa and F. incerta share the darker spots on queens? I've only heard of this in F. incerta. 

[jplelito]

Hi madbiologist - I take that directly from the Trager 2007 paper.  It is specifically mentioned in the description of dolosa that they possess the same thoracic markings, but that these are relatively pale and diffuse when compared with incerta.  Since I find that incerta itself varies from having very strong dark marks to somewhat paler markings, to me dolosa and incerta together are better told as queens (and here I mean, when they're running at 100 mph across the sidewalk) simply by the presence of these marks.  They're easily separated later by other characters (for example hairs, or ultimately by keying out a worker) but these characters are basically impossible to see without magnification (at least with my eyesight!).    

 

If you can't get the paper, you can look at the species pages on antwiki, which copy the descriptions verbatim.  The remark about the markings is there.  

[jplelito]

Today was another Formica flight down here in central NC.  I picked up four new pallidefulva group queens (one is an alate, but the other three are dealates).  One of the dealates is much darker, and matches my Q3 from 2020 closely, though found at a rather distant spot from the first one.  Lot of subsericea roaming around today, too.  I had seen a lot of males of those latter critters yesterday but no females; perhaps yesterday was a false start?  It definitely was a clearer, rapidly warming morning with hazy, humid, still and hot weather by lunch.  Queens found after 2 PM.  Pictures later!  

 

I need to stop collecting ants!  Shelf full!  (yeah, right)

[Ants_Dakota]

Lucky man! Those are some beautiful queens. I don't know if anyone answered your questions about formica pupa, so I can. Formica pupa will only form that tan shell if the ants cover it in moisturized sand when it pupates. If you want, you could drop some sand in the outworld to use.

[kykel09]

Hey jplelito,

 

Are there any updates on this journal for this year? I just came across it after I recently caught myself a F. incerta and developed a deep fascination with the species and her close group counterparts (pallidifulva // dolosa). Sadly, my queen died after a couple of weeks without laying any eggs. Sad but it is what it is. Hoping to catch another some other time. I love your journal and would love to know how your girls are doing though?

[Virginian_ants]

I had a small colony but after a few struggles the queen died. I caught a queen last week. I most likely will sell her though. I love watching this type in the wild.

[jplelito]

Sadly, I lost a lot of these colonies later last summer/early autumn. Something went sideways with the honey I fed them - over the course of a week I noticed a die off of workers across all colonies, followed by the death of a few of the queens. I also lost two carpenter ant colonies that were late in giving up on feeding, though a few others and a single dulotic Formica - all of whom were off food for diapause by then - survived. A few colonies limped into hibernation with reduced worker forces but they dwindled off over the winter. I’ve still got the three carpenter ants, and hopefully this year I’ll find some new pallidefulva-group Formica. They should be out on the coming weeks here in central NC. I found a F. subsericea dealate just last week, so it’s the season.

[kykel09]

Sadly, I lost a lot of these colonies later last summer/early autumn. Something went sideways with the honey I fed them - over the course of a week I noticed a die off of workers across all colonies, followed by the death of a few of the queens. I also lost two carpenter ant colonies that were late in giving up on feeding, though a few others and a single dulotic Formica - all of whom were off food for diapause by then - survived. A few colonies limped into hibernation with reduced worker forces but they dwindled off over the winter. I’ve still got the three carpenter ants, and hopefully this year I’ll find some new pallidefulva-group Formica. They should be out on the coming weeks here in central NC. I found a F. subsericea dealate just last week, so it’s the season.

I'm sorry to hear that. I just caught a new incerta queen yesterday (with wings) and one today (wingless) that I suspect is likely from the same flight. We had a nuptial flight the night before I caught the first queen for Pheidole bicarinata, Tapinoma sessile and Solenopsis molesta. I suspect that night, or the following morning is when the Formica flew. I live in Charlottesville, VA so maybe they're flying in your area now as well. I've temporarily placed these two in the same test tube as they have been documented in the past as polygynous. We'll see what happens. They aren't mingling currently and their introduction was a bit sketch. The winged queen attempted to formic acid spray the other once or twice during the initial introduction before finally calming down. I don't think she injured the queen as she ran away quite quickly and seems fine but only time will tell. They've since calmed down but appear to be keeping their distance from one another. I don't know if this will work out and I may separate them in the next couple of days if they don't acclimate to one another, assuming one of them doesn't die. I'm going to go back out and look for some more queens soon. Maybe I'll get lucky.

 

Good luck on your hunting.