27 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

9-24-2014
 
On Thursday 7-24-2014 I found this Temnothorax caguatan alate on my black light trap up in Trabuco Canyon, California. It was a very warm, calm and humid night.
 
ID Thread: www.formiculture.com/index.php/topic/432-
 
1. Location of collection: Trabuco Canyon, California.
2. Date of collection: 7-24-2014.
3. Habitat of collection: Chaparral/Oak Forest.
4. Length (from head to gaster): 5mm (queen).
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Head and thorax rugose; brown head, redish-orange thorax, dark brown gaster.
6. Distinguishing characteristics:
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
A few days later it laid a few eggs.
 
Her larvae grew slow, and she finally got her first worker a few days ago, almost two months later.
 

 

 

 
 
Edit: I added new microscope pictures of one of the nanitic workers.

Edited by dspdrew, June 20 2020 - 7:49 PM.

[Gregory2455]

These are my favorite of all your temnothorax. Happy to see she is fertile. 

[dspdrew]

They look just like your avatar. :]

[Gregory2455]

I was going to say- aren't they Temnothorax rugatulus?

[dspdrew]

I don't know.

[Alza]

that worker isn't the real color yet right ? 

[Gregory2455]

that worker isn't the real color yet right ? 

Correct, it is still a callow worker.

[Gregory2455]

Got more pictures to this?

[dspdrew]

Not yet.

[dspdrew]

Update 6-3-2015
 
This colony seems to be doing alright, they are just growing very slowly. Right now they have 10 workers and about 15 brood. It looks like one of the queen's wings finally fell off.
 
I finally ID'd this colony as Temnothorax caguatan. The only two Temnothorax species in California with 11 antennal segments, and propodeal spines this long are T. caguatan and T. rugatulus, according to AntWiki. Apparently T. caguatan have a slightly longer, more obtuse petiole node and thicker hind femur. This can clearly be seen when comparing the pictures on AntWeb.
 
This diagram I made shows the difference between the petiole nodes.
 

 
Here is the profile view of one of these nanitics. I think you can clearly see it has the longer petiole node. It also has a pretty bulky hind femur.
 

 
 
Here's some pictures of the colony as of now.


 

 

 

[Alexant]

How big are the current workers?

[dspdrew]

Just a little over 2 mm.

[Alexant]

Wow that's small.

[dspdrew]

Update 7-2-2015
 
This colony has only gained one worker in the last month, bringing them up to eleven workers. They grow so slow, but at least they seem pretty healthy.
 

 

 
 
I found another one of these queens on 6-28-2015, in the exact same spot. I thought it was Pheidole for a while, until I realized it was Temnothorax and at a closer look, another T. caguatan.

[dspdrew]

Update 11-30-2015
 
Shortly after moving to a new apartment, all of the workers in this colony died for some reason. I really have no idea what caused this, but it seems to happen to some colonies in test tube setups from time to time. I rarely see this happen to colonies with an open test tube, or in a formicarium.

[Myrmicinae]

Update 11-30-2015
 
Shortly after moving to a new apartment, all of the workers in this colony died for some reason. I really have no idea what caused this, but it seems to happen to some colonies in test tube setups from time to time. I rarely see this happen to colonies with an open test tube, or in a formicarium.

 

Did you notice any fungi on the cotton?

[dspdrew]

Yes. Quite often there is at least some fungus in most of my test tubes. It could have been fungus that killed them, and being in a tube like that probably makes it even worse. It's just impossible to know which fungus will kill them, because a lot of it doesn't seem to hurt ants at all.

[Gregory2455]

Your's are doing very good. I only have one worker in mine.

[dspdrew]

How is no workers better than one haha?

[Gregory2455]

How is no workers better than one haha?

Wait you do not have a single one with workers now?