9 replies to this topic

[Max_Connor]

1. Western Siberia
2. Date: June 27th
3. Habitat of collection: the nest was in soil on a path in urban area
4. Length (from head to gaster): 6-7 mm
5. This worker has red thorax with a black spot on the pronotum, gaster is completely black, head is black at the top and the cheeks are reddish.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: see below
7. Distinguishing behavior: typical aggressive Formica behavior
8. Nest description: it is a low crater-looking pile of small sticks and dry grass blades built on a side of the path walk, which looks like a Serviformica nest

9. Nuptial flight time and date: didn't see any alates at the entrance of the nest

 

So I was walking along the path and saw this scene: the workers were coming out of the nest holding pupae, crossing the path and hiding in grass where I could no longer see where they were moving the pupae. There was a worker coming out of the nest every few seconds, so I caught two of them for ID. I don't think the nest was being invaded, that didn't look like a raid and I've seen this nest with these workers before.

I think it's Serviformica rufibarbis or Formica Cunicularia

Can you tell what they were doing with pupae?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Max_Connor, June 27 2021 - 7:15 PM.

[ZTYguy]

Rufa most likely. In that group.

[AlexLebedev]

Formica rufa is my best guess

[NickAnter]

It's in the rufa goup and that's the farthest you can get with those images most likely. IDing rufa group Formica, or really any Formica(aside from some distinctive species) from what I can see is rather diffcult.

Edited by NickAnter, June 27 2021 - 8:16 PM.

[Max_Connor]

Ok, thank you!

That's the max quality of pics i can afford

Also, can I expect the cocoons to hatch on their own, or they can be 'unpacked' only by their queen?

[Kaelwizard]

Ok, thank you!
That's the max quality of pics i can afford
Also, can I expect the cocoons to hatch on their own, or they can be 'unpacked' only by their queen?

Workers help. If only queens could then colony growth would take way too long as in mature colonies queens lay hundreds and hundreds of eggs.
Edit: fixed typo

Edited by Kaelwizard, June 28 2021 - 6:02 AM.

[Manitobant]

We sure this isn’t formica sanguinea? The black heads and especially the fact that they were carrying pupae makes me think this was a raid that he witnessed.

[Max_Connor]

We sure this isn’t formica sanguinea? The black heads and especially the fact that they were carrying pupae makes me think this was a raid that he witnessed.

Raids usually look like big columns of ants walking in a straight line, but they were kinda scattered around the path

Also Raptiformica sanguinea raid Serviformica nests, so if this was a raid, then this would be some Serviformica rufibarbis or cunicularia nest.

But there were many ants at the entrance, so the raiders wouldn't be so easily let out. It looked more like there was only one species of ant and the nest was theirs.

[Manitobant]

We sure this isn’t formica sanguinea? The black heads and especially the fact that they were carrying pupae makes me think this was a raid that he witnessed.

Raids usually look like big columns of ants walking in a straight line, but they were kinda scattered around the path
Also Raptiformica sanguinea raid Serviformica nests, so if this was a raid, then this would be some Serviformica rufibarbis or cunicularia nest.
But there were many ants at the entrance, so the raiders wouldn't be so easily let out. It looked more like there was only one species of ant and the nest was theirs.

I'm pretty sure raptiformica raids are more disorganized, at least here. Its polyergus that have neat columns. Also, they could possibly be exiting from a nest they pillaged. It seems very weird that they would just be carrying their pupae out of the nest if it wasn’t a raid, especially for rufa group. You also describe the nest looking like a serviformica nest. This is normally the case for slave makers, as rufa group build distinct dome shaped mounds out of pine needles.

[Max_Connor]

 

 

We sure this isn’t formica sanguinea? The black heads and especially the fact that they were carrying pupae makes me think this was a raid that he witnessed.

Raids usually look like big columns of ants walking in a straight line, but they were kinda scattered around the path
Also Raptiformica sanguinea raid Serviformica nests, so if this was a raid, then this would be some Serviformica rufibarbis or cunicularia nest.
But there were many ants at the entrance, so the raiders wouldn't be so easily let out. It looked more like there was only one species of ant and the nest was theirs.

I'm pretty sure raptiformica raids are more disorganized, at least here. Its polyergus that have neat columns. Also, they could possibly be exiting from a nest they pillaged. It seems very weird that they would just be carrying their pupae out of the nest if it wasn’t a raid, especially for rufa group. You also describe the nest looking like a serviformica nest. This is normally the case for slave makers, as rufa group build distinct dome shaped mounds out of pine needles.

 

Sanguinea usually have larger soldier-type heads, and their thoraxes are brighter and more orange in color. That's what is confusing, the ones that were carrying the brood didn't look like slave makers

Maybe they were moving out some of their multiple queens? If this is indeed rufa or polyctena, that makes sense - it was just splitting of the colony.

This might be a young colony, so the nest hasn't been turned into a dome yet