21 replies to this topic

[Menagerie]

So just as I was about to give up on finding a founding queen and colony I stepped out of the shower this morning and was greeted by an entire Monomorium colony with their queen lapping up the water on the floor dripping from me. I quickly test tubed the queen and swept up most of the workers into a mason jar. So what now?

I read some disturbing information that the queens only live a year. Is this true? If it is, is it worth making a formicarium for these guys?

Also what do you make to even keep them in, they're so tiny.

Thanks in advance,
Menagerie

[Menagerie]

Also I know they generally have multiple queens, but there was only the one. Will this affect their colony?

[spinyeti]

I quickly test tubed the queen and swept up most of the workers into a mason jar. So what now?

Does the test tube fit in the mason jar? Why not use that as their nest inside the jar as their outworld?

[James C. Trager]

What species of Monomorium? Your title says M. minimum, but nothing else in the post sounds like that species. Picture possible? 
M. pharaonis queens typically live less than a year, but they have big colonies with dozens of queens of all ages and new ones produced al the time.

[Menagerie]

When I get home I'll post a picture. they're tiny and shiny black. How will they produce new queens in captivity though?

And the test tube will fit in the jar but the jar is hard to see in. Is there a way to modifiy a critter keeper so they can't escape?

[spinyeti]

Is there a way to modifiy a critter keeper so they can't escape?

You can glue very fine mesh over the large air slots.

[Menagerie]

Ughhh I have great pictures of the queen but the uploader says its too big. what do I do?

[Menagerie]

That one uploaded but its not as good as the others (hence smaller size)

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[Menagerie]

that's the queen from face view and her worker

[LC3]

Dunno what species that ant is but the worker does not look like Monomorium.

[Crystals]

For pictures, most users will make a photobucket account (or another free picture hosting site), upload their pictures there and then copy and paste the "Image Link" here.

[Menagerie]

Well what genus do you think it belongs to?

[AntsAreUs]

It seems a bit hard to tell from a face view but that worker looks like Brachymyrmex.

Edited by AntsAreUs, September 16 2015 - 7:25 PM.

[Menagerie]

I think you are right. With further research and comparing they do look like brachymyrmex. I did research on them a lot but I couldn't find any information on how long the queen lives, it did say they made small colonies. Is this a species worth keeping?

[James C. Trager]

Try to get a bit closer in and then crop the photos so files won't be so large. Also possibly helpful, if you send the photo to yourself by gmail, there is a photo file size reduction option.

Anyway, I'd say Tapinoma, or possibly Nylanderia. It would help to know the location, so we can rule out a few other possibilities, too. 

[Tpro4]

i queen might actually be a delate who didn't have a nuptial flight, cause usually queens don't leave the nest

[Menagerie]

Croping the pictures did the trick. there's the queen in question. All the workers do huddle around her too.

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[Menagerie]

My location is central mississippi near jackson.

[Myrmicinae]

She looks like Nylanderia to me.  Maybe N. fulva?

[Menagerie]

Though disheartening to know another invasive species has made its way here is it worth keeping? I might order a mini hearth from tarheel ants for them.