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Is this a drone and what species?

Started By aheyer , May 27 2024 4:38 PM

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3 replies to this topic

#1 Offline aheyer - Posted May 27 2024 - 4:38 PM

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I caught this ant out on some onions in my garden in eastern MA in the evening yesterday. I am just curious if I am correct that this is a drone and what species it may be. It is about 8 to 10mm long, black body.

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#2 Online ANTdrew - Posted May 27 2024 - 4:41 PM

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LocationAlexandria, VA

Camponotus male.

TacticalHandleGaming likes this

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#3 Offline Stubyvast - Posted May 27 2024 - 5:55 PM

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LocationBC, Canada

Yup, that's a drone all right! Thinner gaster, smaller head, means it's basically useless to you. The queens will have larger gasters, and pretty big heads too. However if you find a queen you could stick the male in with her so he can mate, and then you can remove him. But yah males are kind of useless other than that.

Looks like Camponotus, not exactly sure which kind though. Maybe Modoc or Vicinus?

Edited by Stubyvast, May 27 2024 - 5:56 PM.

Currently raising:

Myrmica rubra (1 queen + ~5 workers)

Lasius niger (single queen + ~90+ workers)

Lasius neoniger (3 single queen + brood)

Formica spp. (Queen [likely parasitic, needs brood])

Formica pacifica (Queen)

Also keeping a friend's tetramorium immigrans for the foreseeable future. Thanks CoffeBlock!