5 replies to this topic

[caswal]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. 
2. Date of collection: September 2023
3. Habitat of collection: Back garden, in wood debris
4. Length (from head to gaster): 8mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Smooth Brown
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Can't climb
7. Distinguishing behavior: Shy/easy startled
8. Nest description: In a rotten Log

9. Nuptial flight time and date: N/A

 

I was clearing up a lot of wood debris, old saw dust, bark etc from where I was making firewood. Came across these guys in a rotten log. As I flipped the log over, there was a bit of brood that they hurried back into the log. So I assume that is where the queen is. Log is small enough it fits into a 16L Aquarium.

 

I'm pretty sure it is Pachycondyla Castanae, I havn't measured a worker, but to my eye they look more like 8mm long compared to 6mm as documented.

 

 

Video: https://photos.app.g...R1bFNRffJXwYpF9

[dspdrew]

Wow, long time no see.

[Manitobant]

Austroponera sp, either A. castanea or A. castaneicolor. Both these species are endemic to NZ and look pretty much identical, with the main difference being that castanea has an ergatoid (permanently wingless) queen while castaneicolor has a standard dealate queen. Both these species used to be in the genus pachycondyla, which for many years was a wastebasket taxon solely used for classifying species that didn’t fit anywhere else. Luckily this has been corrected in recent years



Also if i were you I would put some soil or coco fiber at the bottom of the tank, as most ponerines require high humidity to thrive.

Edited by Manitobant, September 23 2023 - 10:26 AM.

[caswal]

Also if i were you I would put some soil or coco fiber at the bottom of the tank, as most ponerines require high humidity to thrive.

 

Thanks Manitobant, I would like to get them to move out from the log. So I made this nest up today. I'll keep it moist and close up to the log, so hopefully as the log dries out they will move into it.

Hopefully they'll move, then make something nicer.

 

 

 

 

Edited by caswal, September 24 2023 - 12:05 AM.

[Manitobant]

The photo links are broken. Mind posting them directly into the site?

[caswal]

Huh, the reply editor gave no feedback that is was doing it as a link rather than the image from the clipboard. Never seen a forum do it like that. I've editted the post.