16 replies to this topic

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

So I was just looking around my porch when I found a tiny alate that was dead, it was 3 to 3.5 mm long and It was brown with yellow looking legs, there was also some males but they were either smouched or decapitated, and the next day I found another one of those alates that were dead and this one was in good enough shape to take a pic of but I am still confused about the id, I also found a Ponera pennsylvanicus alate nearby it. My location is Montreal, Quebec, there is not many species here so It should be easier   

 

 

I highlighted it so it is easier to see the details

[Manitobant]

Myrmecina americana. Yes, its cryptic.

[rptraut]

Myrmecina americana. Yes, its cryptic.

 

What characteristics make an ant "cryptic"?

RPT

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

 

Myrmecina americana. Yes, its cryptic.

 

What characteristics make an ant "cryptic"?

RPT

 

 Basically it lives completely underground or in places that you won't see regularly and will only come out for nuptial flights, usually that are also really small like how acorn ants live in acorns and rarely exit

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Myrmecina americana. Yes, its cryptic.

unless it is a really really small microgene, that is not it because M. americana queens are 6 to 6.5 mm long

[bmb1bee]

Myrmecina americana. Yes, its cryptic.

unless it is a really really small microgene, that is not it because M. americana queens are 6 to 6.5 mm long

Where did you get that information from? Myrmecina americana gynes are almost always 3 to 3.5 mm.

[rptraut]

Hello OwlThatLikesAnts;

 

I think those cryptic characteristics are one of the reasons I like keeping M. americana ants so much.    I tell people they're the most well-behaved ants I keep.   They tend brood all the time and only come out at feeding time.   After they've finished feeding, they return to brood rearing - no aimless wandering around and no attempts to escape.   

 

 

When I remove their black-out cover to view the brood, they just freeze and never freak out.   And they eat everything I give them; canned dog food is their favourite.   I don't think my ants are misidentified, but the (gynes) queens are at least 6 to 6.5 mm long.   

RPT

Edited by rptraut, August 18 2024 - 9:31 PM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

hmmmmmmmmm, looks like I thought you guys were talking about the genus RPT is talking about but the one I have is Myrmecina not Myrmica, sorry about that 

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Hello OwlThatLikesAnts;

 

I think those cryptic characteristics are one of the reasons I like keeping M. americana ants so much.    I tell people they're the most well-behaved ants I keep.   They tend brood all the time and only come out at feeding time.   After they've finished feeding, they return to brood rearing - no aimless wandering around and no attempts to escape.   

 

IMG_7058 - Copy.JPG

 

When I remove their black-out cover to view the brood, they just freeze and never freak out.   And they eat everything I give them; canned dog food is their favourite.   I don't think my ants are misidentified, but the (gynes) queens are at least 6 to 6.5 mm long.   

RPT

That is the exactly why I want to know if they are cryptic or not because I don't have to give them an outworld, I have always succeeded with this method  

[bmb1bee]

Hello OwlThatLikesAnts;

 

I think those cryptic characteristics are one of the reasons I like keeping M. americana ants so much.    I tell people they're the most well-behaved ants I keep.   They tend brood all the time and only come out at feeding time.   After they've finished feeding, they return to brood rearing - no aimless wandering around and no attempts to escape.   

 

IMG_7058 - Copy.JPG

 

When I remove their black-out cover to view the brood, they just freeze and never freak out.   And they eat everything I give them; canned dog food is their favourite.   I don't think my ants are misidentified, but the (gynes) queens are at least 6 to 6.5 mm long.   

RPT

It's possible those are Myrmica, rather than Myrmecina. Regardless, that does look like a pretty nice colony though.

[rptraut]

Hello Everyone;

 

I have to apologize for misreading the name Myrmecina, I thought it was Myrmica misspelled, I should have known Manitobant wouldn't make that mistake!

 

The ants I pictured are Myrmica americana, as far as I know, and yes, they were a great little colony.   I found them living in an acorn in the fall, there were five queens and a number of workers.   They moved easily into the little formicarium.   Each queen had her own little hiding place when I opened up the back, but the rest of the ants were quite calm and a pleasure to watch.   This was the first colony I used as an "observation colony", a colony that I checked every day so they would get used to being viewed and I would have a pretty good idea what stage my other colonies were at, without bothering them.   It was the first time I was able to watch the transformation, day by day, of larvae to pupae to workers.    I saw the larvae pinch in to form the waist, the neck - the head, eyes and antennae were formed, and then I watched as other workers helped her to unfold her legs, antennae, and finally a new worker was ready to join the colony.   The miracle of metamorphosis, I watched it happen before my eyes, amazing.

 

Unfortunately, this colony suffered a major setback when they contracted the disease last year and I lost all of the queens, but one.    I've destroyed all of the infected colonies from last year, except this one, I just couldn't destroy them.   So, I've kept them, and the queen continues to produce brood, so there may be hope for them yet long-term.  

RPT

[RushmoreAnts]

I have two Myrmica queens with eggs. They indeed are well-behaved ants. They never get stressed when I check on them. It is confusing that there is a Myrmica americana and Myrmecina americana. However it's worth noting that Myrmica are very hard to identify, some species being physically identical and needing a genetic analysis to differentiate between species. RPT's colony could be americana, or brevispinosa, incompleta, latifrons, lobifrons, among others.

 

Owl, as seeing americana is the only Myrmecina species in Quebec according to AntMaps, it's pretty safe to say she's Myrmecina americana.

Edited by RushmoreAnts, August 20 2024 - 1:39 PM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

I have two Myrmica queens with eggs. They indeed are well-behaved ants. They never get stressed when I check on them. It is confusing that there is a Myrmica americana and Myrmecina americana. However it's worth noting that Myrmica are very hard to identify, some species being physically identical and needing a genetic analysis to differentiate between species. RPT's colony could be americana, or brevispinosa, incompleta, latifrons, lobifrons, among others.

 

Owl, as seeing americana is the only Myrmecina species in Ontario according to AntMaps, it's pretty safe to say she's Myrmecina americana.

Sorry guys about the delay and I am also sorry for mixing up the species, I was thinking about the genus RPT was talking about, sorry for the inconvenience  , (this is not a repeat about the last post I made here) but were are these species usually located and where can I find them because I really reallyyyyyyyyy want a cryptic species so advice on where to find any cryptic species (except Ponera) will be helpful

 

also, I live in Quebec

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, August 20 2024 - 1:30 PM.

[RushmoreAnts]

 

I have two Myrmica queens with eggs. They indeed are well-behaved ants. They never get stressed when I check on them. It is confusing that there is a Myrmica americana and Myrmecina americana. However it's worth noting that Myrmica are very hard to identify, some species being physically identical and needing a genetic analysis to differentiate between species. RPT's colony could be americana, or brevispinosa, incompleta, latifrons, lobifrons, among others.

 

Owl, as seeing americana is the only Myrmecina species in Ontario according to AntMaps, it's pretty safe to say she's Myrmecina americana.

Sorry guys about the delay and I am also sorry for mixing up the species, I was thinking about the genus RPT was talking about, sorry for the inconvenience  , (this is not a repeat about the last post I made here) but were are these species usually located and where can I find them because I really reallyyyyyyyyy want a cryptic species so advice on where to find any cryptic species (except Ponera) will be helpful

 

also, I live in Quebec

 

You can usually find cryptic species in forests in leaflitter or on the forest floor. Sorry about the location mixup.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

It's ok, and thanks for the advice

[rptraut]

 However it's worth noting that Myrmica are very hard to identify, some species being physically identical and needing a genetic analysis to differentiate between species. RPT's colony could be americana, or brevispinosa, incompleta, latifrons, lobifrons, among others.

 

 

 

I found all of my Myrmica ants in an old growth forest.   Does that help narrow down the identification at all?

RPT

[RushmoreAnts]

 

 However it's worth noting that Myrmica are very hard to identify, some species being physically identical and needing a genetic analysis to differentiate between species. RPT's colony could be americana, or brevispinosa, incompleta, latifrons, lobifrons, among others.

 

 

 

I found all of my Myrmica ants in an old growth forest.   Does that help narrow down the identification at all?

RPT

 

No, I believe most if not all Myrmica are primarily old growth forest dwellers.