Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Athens,Greece October 23rd.Messor?

Started By alex-barty , Oct 23 2020 5:53 AM

  • Please log in to reply
14 replies to this topic

#1 Offline alex-barty - Posted October 23 2020 - 5:53 AM

alex-barty

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 85 posts
Hey guys,I found this queen on the mountain with very little vegetation.There was a worker ant guiding her from her mandibles but there where no other ants around and also no nest for sure so I thought she might have mated and if they are polygynous maybe the worker was guiding her to his nest?I don't know if its ethical to keep her,but there was no nest around for sure and I also found quite a few dead queens during my walk that looked a lot like her so their nuptial flight might have been a day or two ago.It rained quite heavily 4 days ago.Letbme know what you think:) thank you in advance.Measurement is in CM/MM

Attached Images

  • received_374946676991065.jpeg
  • received_397137828316799.jpeg
  • received_1653598228161936.jpeg

#2 Offline NickAnter - Posted October 23 2020 - 6:04 AM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California
Looks like Messor to me.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#3 Offline TechAnt - Posted October 23 2020 - 8:05 AM

TechAnt

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,303 posts
  • LocationLos Angeles, California

I agree, it seems like Messor sp.

 

Put her in a dark place, see if she lays eggs.


Edited by TechAnt, October 23 2020 - 10:09 AM.

My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#4 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted October 23 2020 - 10:02 AM

Antkeeper01

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,392 posts
  • LocationA random state in the US

she looks fertile as she is grooming her gaster in one of the pics and being an alate does not always mean infertile


1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489

#5 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 23 2020 - 1:19 PM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia
Keep her in a dark place for 2-3 months at a time these ants are very sensitive during founding and she will eat her eggs or even die if you check on her at least once a month, I repeat keep her in a dark place for 2-3 months not even to check if she is alive every once and a while. If you can don’t even check on her for 5 months at a time because they are very sensitive.
We don’t talk about that

#6 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 23 2020 - 1:20 PM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia
Also once she gets some workers she will calm down and then you can check every month and a half.
We don’t talk about that

#7 Offline ponerinecat - Posted October 23 2020 - 2:56 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Also once she gets some workers she will calm down and then you can check every month and a half.

Hm yes I'm sure they can last a month and a half without feeding and other essential maintenance.


  • TechAnt likes this

#8 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 23 2020 - 3:07 PM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia
Well no but I forgot only check on them for feeding and other needed things.
We don’t talk about that

#9 Offline alex-barty - Posted October 23 2020 - 4:05 PM

alex-barty

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 85 posts

Well no but I forgot only check on them for feeding and other needed things.


I should just hibernate her,shouldn't I?

#10 Offline ponerinecat - Posted October 23 2020 - 4:35 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

 

Well no but I forgot only check on them for feeding and other needed things.


I should just hibernate her,shouldn't I?

 

You may be able to get away with skipping hibernation.


#11 Offline skocko76 - Posted October 28 2020 - 2:53 PM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia
I get a lot of Messors here in coastal Croatia. In my experience, they are very hardy, though as nails. They often forage themselves when they have a small number of nanites. Sometimes I keep them in the light, and they get used to it. Just my experience. Others might differ
  • alex-barty likes this

#12 Offline alex-barty - Posted October 30 2020 - 4:31 AM

alex-barty

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 85 posts

I get a lot of Messors here in coastal Croatia. In my experience, they are very hardy, though as nails. They often forage themselves when they have a small number of nanites. Sometimes I keep them in the light, and they get used to it. Just my experience. Others might differ


Thank you.Unfortunately this one didn't accept sugar water and died a couple of days after :(

#13 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted October 30 2020 - 5:09 AM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,258 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

 

I get a lot of Messors here in coastal Croatia. In my experience, they are very hardy, though as nails. They often forage themselves when they have a small number of nanites. Sometimes I keep them in the light, and they get used to it. Just my experience. Others might differ


Thank you.Unfortunately this one didn't accept sugar water and died a couple of days after :(

 

I'm pretty sure Messor mainly accept a granivorous and carnivorous diet, not sugar.


Edited by AntsDakota, October 30 2020 - 5:10 AM.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#14 Offline alex-barty - Posted October 30 2020 - 6:28 AM

alex-barty

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 85 posts

I get a lot of Messors here in coastal Croatia. In my experience, they are very hardy, though as nails. They often forage themselves when they have a small number of nanites. Sometimes I keep them in the light, and they get used to it. Just my experience. Others might differ


Thank you.Unfortunately this one didn't accept sugar water and died a couple of days after :(
I'm pretty sure Messor mainly accept a granivorous and carnivorous diet, not sugar.
Not at all?Damn I thought all species would be tempted .Good to know,thank you:)

#15 Offline skocko76 - Posted October 30 2020 - 10:53 AM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia

 

 

 

I get a lot of Messors here in coastal Croatia. In my experience, they are very hardy, though as nails. They often forage themselves when they have a small number of nanites. Sometimes I keep them in the light, and they get used to it. Just my experience. Others might differ


Thank you.Unfortunately this one didn't accept sugar water and died a couple of days after :(
I'm pretty sure Messor mainly accept a granivorous and carnivorous diet, not sugar.
Not at all?Damn I thought all species would be tempted .Good to know,thank you:)

 

Generally no. But rarely they will - these are Messors feeding on sugar water. Usually that means they're dehydrated.
Other replies are correct: mostly granivorous (to the point of making it possible to grow a colony with no insect protein introduced). They love insects though :D
Sorry to hear about the queen. She would have waited for spring to lay the eggs. She didn't need any care until then.

 

IMG 20180920 204851

Back to Ant ID Requests · Next Unread Topic →


1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users