5 replies to this topic

[Zeko]

3/26/2024 

I captured these workers + queen 2 days ago and took some of the brood they were carrying. Currently, there are 5 workers, 25-50 eggs, and 3-5 larvae, with one becoming a pupa. The queen currently lays a few eggs per day, and, if all of those eggs eclose one day, the colony will have 50 workers!!!

Today I fed a piece of orange pulp, cut in half, to the workers, who inspected it but did not eat it. However, a few hours later I found it empty of juice so I removed the remains. Currently, the queen resides peacefully. It was a little humid so I removed the heating pad, but now there is less humidity. 

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Edited by Zeko, March 26 2024 - 7:57 PM.

[Artisan_Ants]

Are your sure that isn’t some sort of Dorymyrmex or Forelius? It looks a lot like Forelius pruinosus or F. pruinosus (the triangular head is very similar to that of Dorymyrmex and Forelius. The queen looks much slimmer than than that of most Dorymyrmex queens, and the head of her is also definitely much more slimmer). Otherwise, I think we need some better pics of the queen (since workers are the ones that have more complex variants).

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

I agree the queen gaster looks more triangular shaped instead of a more rounded.

[Zeko]

4/4/2024

The feeding session can be found here: 

[AsdinAnts]

That is not lasius, it could be Dorymyrmex or Forelius, but personally, I think that this is an argentine ant colony. The queen and workers look exactly the same to the ones that i use to have.

[Artisan_Ants]

That is not lasius, it could be Dorymyrmex or Forelius, but personally, I think that this is an argentine ant colony. The queen and workers look exactly the same to the ones that i use to have.

You have a very good point; but if you look at the first few pictures, the coloration is a little different, and the size of the workers is also different; the workers of this colony being smaller than an Argentine ant worker (correct me if I’m wrong on this). The coloration (especially of the queen) is much more similar to F. pruinosus or Forelius pruinosus.