2 replies to this topic

[drawpositive]

I found this winged ant (which I believe is a queen) walking on the ground of a hallway near the office area of where I work.  The building itself is over 50 years old.  There is a fire exit about 100 feet away from where the ant was.  Other than that, no windows or doors close by.  

 

I collected the ant yesterday and put it in a test tube, yet the wings have not yet come off and the ant has not shown any attempts to remove the wings.

 

A few weeks earlier, I saw another winged ant in this same hallway.

 

 

My questions are:

1.) What species of ant is this?

2.)  Is it a queen?

3.)  Do you think she had already gone through the nuptial flight, landed, and then somehow wandered into the hallway?  Or do you think she is an unmated queen that emerged from a nest somewhere and had yet to take flight and mate? (I wouldn't want to keep an unmated queen unnecessarily --I would release her if it is likely that she is unmated)

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[ANTdrew]

Looks like a Tetramorium immigrans queen. A very good beginner species. You’ll need to wait and see if she lays eggs.

[AntsLA-1]

Yeah, my best guess is Tetramorium Immagrans, too.