21 replies to this topic

[FSTP]

Well today I went anting again. I was expecting to just find more Dorymyrmex app and I did. I found yet another Dorymyrmex insanus. 

 

However I did dig up a different species this time. 

 

Here is the capture data:

City/state: Fresno, Ca

location: found slightly of a dirt bike trail in very hard dry compacted sandy dirt.

Size: about 10-11mm

 

I found here in the ground about 2cm deep. I was able to locate here by her little chamber overburden pile.

 

 

Here are some picture. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have in a "test tube" set up for now is this ok? She was in a very dry area. I'm wondering is the Test tube with water behind cotton maybe to humid for her?

 

 

Also is she semi-claustral? will she be needing food?

 

I really want her to do her best she is the only Pogonomyrmex I could find. I haven't even seen any nest near me, so I was very very surprised to find her.

Edited by FSTP, November 8 2016 - 3:53 PM.

[Alabama Anter]

Well today I went anting again. I was expecting to just find more Dorymyrmex app and I did. I found yet another Dorymyrmex insanus.

However I did dig up a different species this time.

Here is the capture data:
City/state: Fresno, Ca
location: found slightly of a dirt bike trail in very hard dry compacted sandy dirt.
Size: about 10-11mm

I found here in the ground about 2cm deep. I was able to locate here by her little chamber overburden pile.


Here are some picture.


















I have in a "test tube" set up for now is this ok? She was in a very dry area. I'm wondering is the Test tube with water behind cotton maybe to humid for her?


Also is she semi-claustral? will she be needing food?

Looks like Pogonomyrmex californicus and yes she is semi claustral

[Mdrogun]

 

Well today I went anting again. I was expecting to just find more Dorymyrmex app and I did. I found yet another Dorymyrmex insanus.

However I did dig up a different species this time.

Here is the capture data:
City/state: Fresno, Ca
location: found slightly of a dirt bike trail in very hard dry compacted sandy dirt.
Size: about 10-11mm

I found here in the ground about 2cm deep. I was able to locate here by her little chamber overburden pile.


Here are some picture.


















I have in a "test tube" set up for now is this ok? She was in a very dry area. I'm wondering is the Test tube with water behind cotton maybe to humid for her?


Also is she semi-claustral? will she be needing food?

Looks like Pogonomyrmex californicus and yes she is semi claustral

 

While it's possible she's Pogonomyrmex californicus, I don't feel like you have enough evidence to prove she's Pogonomyrmex californicus over the 17 other species of Pogonomyrmex in California. What about this queen says she's Pogonomyrmex californicus over Pogonomyrmex maricopa for example?

 

https://www.antweb.o...Name=California

Edited by Mdrogun, November 8 2016 - 4:14 PM.

[FSTP]

thanks for the replies. I know the pictures are horrible, I'm working on trying to get some better detailed photos. What features specifically would help in id'ing her?

 

 

 

 

I'm worried about her. She seems to be just running and running around in the test tube. I'm nervous she is going to stress and wear herself out and die. Should I put some small seeds in  there with her? like some dandelion or some other grass seed?

[Alabama Anter]

thanks for the replies. I know the pictures are horrible, I'm working on trying to get some better detailed photos. What features specifically would help in id'ing her?




I'm worried about her. She seems to be just running and running around in the test tube. I'm nervous she is going to stress and wear herself out and die. Should I put some small seeds in there with her? like some dandelion or some other grass seed?

Yes. I also think u should put in a substrate

[Mdrogun]

thanks for the replies. I know the pictures are horrible, I'm working on trying to get some better detailed photos. What features specifically would help in id'ing her?

 

 

 

 

I'm worried about her. She seems to be just running and running around in the test tube. I'm nervous she is going to stress and wear herself out and die. Should I put some small seeds in  there with her? like some dandelion or some other grass seed?

I would put in little bit of sand but not too much. Just give her some time to calm down. Keep her dark and in a warm spot (around 85 F) if you can. I give my pogonomyrmex Guizotia abyssinica seeds but I am sure almost any seed she can grip on to with her jaws would do.

 

thanks for the replies. I know the pictures are horrible, I'm working on trying to get some better detailed photos. What features specifically would help in id'ing her?




I'm worried about her. She seems to be just running and running around in the test tube. I'm nervous she is going to stress and wear herself out and die. Should I put some small seeds in there with her? like some dandelion or some other grass seed?

Yes. I also think u should put in a substrate

 

Can you please respond to my question?

Edited by Mdrogun, November 8 2016 - 5:00 PM.

[FSTP]

Alright I mixed some course sand with some clay like dirt to make as close a facsimile to the dirt I found her in. I then microwaved it to try and kill anything that may harm her. I have placed about a gram or so in her tube. I'll try and get some small seeds for her tomorrow and place them in there with her. I have a temp gauge in box her tube is in and its holding steady at 81ºF. 

 

I guess its not terribly important I get an exact ID considering the poor detail in the photos. Its just nice knowing that I found at least one Pogonomyrmex and I can potentially find more within walking/rolling distance of my house.

 

 

Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it,

Jess

Edited by FSTP, November 8 2016 - 5:35 PM.

[Alabama Anter]

Alright I mixed some course sand with some clay like dirt to make as close a facsimile to the dirt I found her in. I then microwaved it to try and kill anything that may harm her. I have placed about a gram or so in her tube. I'll try and get some small seeds for her tomorrow and place them in there with her. I have a temp gauge in box her tube is in and its holding steady at 81ºF.

I guess its not terribly important I get an exact ID considering the poor detail in the photos. Its just nice knowing that I found at least one Pogonomyrmex and I can potentially find more within walking/rolling distance of my house.


Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it,
Jess

Great!

[Mdrogun]

Alright I mixed some course sand with some clay like dirt to make as close a facsimile to the dirt I found her in. I then microwaved it to try and kill anything that may harm her. I have placed about a gram or so in her tube. I'll try and get some small seeds for her tomorrow and place them in there with her. I have a temp gauge in box her tube is in and its holding steady at 81ºF. 

 

I guess its not terribly important I get an exact ID considering the poor detail in the photos. Its just nice knowing that I found at least one Pogonomyrmex and I can potentially find more within walking/rolling distance of my house.

 

 

Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it,

Jess

I bake all of my sand at 450 F for around 40 minutes to kill all of the mites and stuff but you should be fine. Pogonomyrmex are really hard to get a species level ID. A lot of species are very similar. Good luck!

[FSTP]

Baking works too, but I"m impatient so I microwaved it. A few of the Labs I've worked in have used the microwave method to kill certain fungi and bacteria so I'm confident it will kill mites and the like.

 

 

I'm really excited to have found a Pogonomyrmex I'm hoping I can find more to better my odds of success.

[Canadian anter]

Looks like California us to me too

[FSTP]

She seems to be pulling at the cotton a lot, like she's trying to get out. Could this be because she's hungry? I haven't put any sense in there yet but I'm working on it.

[XZero38]

My P. Occ. did the same thing till i put a few seeds in there with them

[sgheaton]

What is the microwave method you speak of?

 

Microwaves use electromagnetic radiation ... Convection/Conventional ovens use heat.

 

With the severe lack of ANY moisture in the sand .. you're just wasting electricity microwaving sand. 

[FSTP]

I realize sand has no moisture in it  .... that's why the sand dirt mixture I made was compounded with water, then microwaved until steaming dry. You also have to realize I'm not microwaving specifically the sand but whatever is living on the sand, and anything that's living on the sand certainly would have moisture, as minuscule as it might be. That said microwaving effectively can cause Cell lysis.

[FSTP]

My P. Occ. did the same thing till i put a few seeds in there with them

Alright thank you I'll get some i there ASAP.

 

 

Edit: Ok I put in some raw chia seeds, that's all I had laying around so I'll see if I can find some other types of seed.

Edited by FSTP, November 9 2016 - 12:07 PM.

[gcsnelling]

While it's possible she's Pogonomyrmex californicus, I don't feel like you have enough evidence to prove she's Pogonomyrmex californicus over the 17 other species of Pogonomyrmex in California. What about this queen says she's Pogonomyrmex californicus over Pogonomyrmex maricopa for example?

 

https://www.antweb.o...Name=California

 

All things considered P. californicus is as good a bet as any. Obviously you can rule out several of the species (for example P. maricopa and magnacanthus) because they do not occur anywhere near that locality. P. californicus is by far the most common species in that area.

[dspdrew]

What about P. subdentatus? I know they are found a lot in the Bay Area, not sure about Fresno. They also fly very late in the year. Seems if it is P. californicus, there might be something wrong with it, considering it's November.

[gcsnelling]

That is the only other real option in that area. However I have never collected it there. And sadly queens are tough to key out.

Edited by gcsnelling, November 9 2016 - 6:57 PM.

[FSTP]

Well Thank you guys for trying to figure it out. Identifying something down to the species is not always a straight forward affair. 

 

 

I'm still a bit worried I just checked on her again, and it seems she's still trying to chew out the cotton. When I initially added the sanded dirt and chia seeds it seemed like she had calmed down. But she seems to now be back to chewing at the cotton. I'm a bit worried. 

 

I've seen some people start Pogonomyrmex queens in a very small jar of the dirt they found them in instead of a test tube. Should I try this? Also next week I have some THA Atom founding formicariums coming. Should I just wait and place her then there?

 

In your guys opinion what is the most successful way to start a Pogonomyrmex queen? I'd really like to do everything I can as she was the only Pogonomyrmex I was able to find.