2 replies to this topic

[Nathant2131]

I know that Camponotus species are sometimes referred to having 3 different worker castes; Minor, media (aka Intermediate) and major. How do I identify a media worker? I cannot any literature out there about the unique morphological characters of this caste that seperates them from minor and major, except that they are a bit larger than minors. Any easier ways?

[Antsinmycloset]

I want to preface this by saying it's completely based on my experience, and therefore could be entirely wrong. Feel free to call BS.

I currently have a trio of Camponotus pennsylvanicus colonies side by side, and have been fortunate enough to watch the colonies go from nanitics all the way to majors. Still waiting on those super majors. I think there is a slight but significant difference in size between minors and media. It's not as staggering as media to major, but it's there.

I don't know how much is in my head, but one thing I've noticed is that the gasters of minors simply don't distend as far. You can still see the membrane between the segments after they've drank, but it's more ball shaped (similar to a major's). Media, on the other hand, get large enough I wonder if they serve as the defacto repletes. Nanitics appear to act like a marginally smaller minor.

I found this picture which I think fairly well represents the three classes (four with super majors) Camponotus have. The media (bottom left) is noticeably larger than the minor (right), but both are dwarfed by the major/super major. Notice how large the distended gaster is relative to it's size. This seems consistent. I don't know if that's a true super major, but I think it gives a good idea where I'm coming from.

It's kind of blurry with a mature colony, but a colony's first media truly feels like a predatory firetruck compared to what came before it.

[cpman]

I know that Camponotus species are sometimes referred to having 3 different worker castes; Minor, media (aka Intermediate) and major. How do I identify a media worker? I cannot any literature out there about the unique morphological characters of this caste that seperates them from minor and major, except that they are a bit larger than minors. Any easier ways?

In Camponotus, the castes aren't as discrete as they are in, say, Pheidole. The medias are just those ants that show characteristics of both minors and majors. They'll certainly be larger than the minors, and they may have coloration more like that of the majors than that of the minors. They usually don't have the same big, wide head that the majors do.