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Parasitic Formica!

Started By WSantkeeper , Jul 19 2021 12:05 PM
formica

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13 replies to this topic

#1 Offline WSantkeeper - Posted July 19 2021 - 12:05 PM

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So yesterday, I caught three parasitic Formica queen! Not sure what species, but I decided to give a go at these. Hopefully the queens get past the founding stage. 

 

Here is one of them enjoying a drop of sugar water:

Attached Images

  • WIN_20210719_13_01_36_Pro.jpg

Edited by WSantkeeper, July 19 2021 - 12:07 PM.

  • eea likes this

Queens I keep:

 

Camponotus sp.

Formica sp.

Unknown queen ant sp.

1 parasitic Formica queen!

 

 

#2 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted July 19 2021 - 12:08 PM

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Nice! I also just caught a formica Aserva which is likely what you have

Edited by AntBoi3030, July 19 2021 - 2:19 PM.

  • WSantkeeper and eea like this

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#3 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 19 2021 - 12:15 PM

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AntsBC made an incredible post on raising parasitic Formica. I believe it is pinned in the Ant Keeping section. I would encourage you to check it out if you haven't already done so.


  • WSantkeeper and eea like this

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). 

#4 Offline WSantkeeper - Posted July 19 2021 - 1:06 PM

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AntsBC made an incredible post on raising parasitic Formica. I believe it is pinned in the Ant Keeping section. I would encourage you to check it out if you haven't already done so.

Thanks. It was really helpful.


  • eea likes this

Queens I keep:

 

Camponotus sp.

Formica sp.

Unknown queen ant sp.

1 parasitic Formica queen!

 

 

#5 Offline WSantkeeper - Posted July 19 2021 - 1:41 PM

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Just how.... One of the queens died.. I don't know how..... Now I'm down to one queen( gave one away to a close friend).


She still moves a little... But I think the best option is to release her.

Attached Images

  • WIN_20210719_14_39_14_Pro.jpg

  • eea likes this

Queens I keep:

 

Camponotus sp.

Formica sp.

Unknown queen ant sp.

1 parasitic Formica queen!

 

 

#6 Offline WSantkeeper - Posted July 19 2021 - 1:48 PM

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There's good news though. I introduced the last one of my parasitic queens to 4 Formica workers. I initially gave them a pupa, but they neglected it and it rotted. The workers are caring for the queen quite well, initiating trophallaxis and grooming her. Planning on making a hydro stone nest for them.

Pic:

 

Attached Images

  • WIN_20210719_14_45_46_Pro.jpg

  • AntBoi3030 and eea like this

Queens I keep:

 

Camponotus sp.

Formica sp.

Unknown queen ant sp.

1 parasitic Formica queen!

 

 

#7 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted July 19 2021 - 1:54 PM

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Looks like we’ve got the same type of queen! When you gave the workers to her were they callows?
  • WSantkeeper likes this

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#8 Offline WSantkeeper - Posted July 19 2021 - 2:59 PM

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Looks like we’ve got the same type of queen! When you gave the workers to her were they callows?

No... Cannot seem to find much Formica pupa. Had to capture the workers than keep them for about a week, and then introduce them to the queen. I could get a better photo with my macro lens for ID.

 

 

Wait a minute; isn't Aserva slave raiding?


  • AntBoi3030 likes this

Queens I keep:

 

Camponotus sp.

Formica sp.

Unknown queen ant sp.

1 parasitic Formica queen!

 

 

#9 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted July 19 2021 - 4:40 PM

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Yes, but they won’t need more Host pupae. They will be a-ok without them.
  • WSantkeeper likes this

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#10 Offline NicholasP - Posted July 22 2021 - 3:10 PM

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Just how.... One of the queens died.. I don't know how..... Now I'm down to one queen( gave one away to a close friend).


She still moves a little... But I think the best option is to release her.

Are you sure the queens you have aren't formica foreliana? Formica foreliana look very similar to parasitic formica but are basically not parasitic and are a very close relative to formica gnava and get very pretty workers and queens.


gallery_5979_2399_15405.png

#11 Offline NicholasP - Posted July 22 2021 - 3:17 PM

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oops. nvm. foreliana live only in southern U.S. Sorry about that.


gallery_5979_2399_15405.png

#12 Offline WSantkeeper - Posted July 23 2021 - 11:26 AM

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Oh no! The queen seems dead. I forgot about her. In a last ditch effort, I stuck a Q-tip inside the test tube. Hopefully she makes it.

Attached Images

  • E67203A5-7612-450D-8D67-FA74AFAA5CB6.jpeg

Queens I keep:

 

Camponotus sp.

Formica sp.

Unknown queen ant sp.

1 parasitic Formica queen!

 

 

#13 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted July 23 2021 - 4:31 PM

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Did they have water? Without a full test tube setup the queen won’t lay eggs

Edited by AntBoi3030, July 23 2021 - 4:33 PM.

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#14 Offline WSantkeeper - Posted July 23 2021 - 8:44 PM

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I know, yeah I planned on making a plaster formicarium for them, but unfortunately, didn’t finish in time, and I forgot about them.
Also forgot that I wasn’t giving them water.
Also forgot that I wasn’t giving them water.

Queens I keep:

 

Camponotus sp.

Formica sp.

Unknown queen ant sp.

1 parasitic Formica queen!

 

 

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