9-23-2017
 
I found nine Pogonomyrmex maricopa queens on the side of Hwy 95 at the North end of Blythe, California in the afternoon on 9-12-2017. It was about 105 degrees out at the time. I dug most of them out of founding chambers, and grabbed a couple while they were in the process of digging their nests.
 
Original ID thread: https://www.formicul...ornia-9-17-2017
 
1. Location of collection:  Blythe, California
2. Date of collection:  9-12-2017
3. Habitat of collection:  Desert riparian
4. Length (from head to gaster):  9-10 mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture:  All red with white hairs and a slightly lighter gaster
6. Distinguishing characteristics: No spines, interuggal punctures on head
7. Anything else distinctive: Moves in a wasp like motion typical of P. californicus (desert bicolor variety)
8. Nest description: 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
One died of its injuries from digging it out before I got home. Of the remaining seven, I put two of them in test tube setups, one in one of my starter formicariums, and the other five in Dirt Boxes.
 
Most of the queens in the Dirt Boxes dug nests right away, and I can already see eggs in two of them.
 
It wasn't long though before the queens in the test tubes died. This makes me think these might be hard to raise the way P. californicus (their closest relative) are.
 
By now I only have four of these left. The one in the formicarium, and three in Dirt Boxes.

Don't the stings of these girls hurt like crazy? I think that they're one of the most toxic of all insects...

Don't the stings of these girls hurt like crazy? I think that they're one of the most toxic of all insects...

 

That's what I hear.

I got stung by a queen once. It hurt as much as a Pogonomyrmex californicus worker sting, though I brushed it off in a second so didn't get the full impact. It felt pretty painful and my hand throbbed for like 15 or so minutes. I imagine the workers are more painful since queens don't tend to hurt nearly as much. However I think its not so much the pain, but the toxicity.

 

Good luck on your queens They are rather easy, so should have success. 

Update 10-3-2017

 

The queen in the starter formicarium had a few small larvae when it died. Of the three in Dirt Boxes, two of them have small larvae now.

 

Nice but will the queens hibernate with nanitics or with just larvae?

Desert ants don't really hibernate.

Desert ants don't really hibernate.

 

Wonder if that would be the same for my Pogonomyrmex Barbatus?

Desert ants don't really hibernate.

 
Wonder if that would be the same for my Pogonomyrmex Barbatus?

Different localities of the same species will behave differently. Observe wild colonies for reference.

 

Desert ants don't really hibernate.

 

Wonder if that would be the same for my Pogonomyrmex Barbatus?

 

 

I'm pretty sure Pogonomyrmex barbatus don't hibernate. I don't think you need to hibernate ants unless they come from a place that has snow on the ground for most of the winter.

Update 11-3-2017

 

All three queens in the Dirt Boxes have five or more workers now. Some look like they eclosed at least a few days ago.

Update 11-30-2017
 
The three colonies are still alive and well. All three have probably over 10 workers.
 
Since it appears the Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus queen I put in my giant ant farm has died, I decided to move one of these colonies into it. Instead of forcing it like I usually do, I tried using my new Dirt Box connectors to allow them to move when they are ready.
 

 

MY FAVORITE ONE IS BACK!

How many workers do you think your dirtbox can support of this species before you have to move them?

Update 12-29-2017
 
All three colonies are still doing great. The one moving into the ant farm is still the largest with about 20 workers and plenty brood now. They still haven't moved into the ant farm yet, but I did catch one of the workers out foraging the other day.
 
As you can see in the picture below, I added the surface hole I started putting in all the Dirt Boxes now so I could move it down and connect the two surface foraging areas.
 

Update 1-28-2018

 

The nest attached to the ant farm was getting very dry, and the ants still weren't moving, so I just decided to dump them out. It didn't take them long to move in at all; within about an hour they were all down the hole, brood and all. They actually went in the hole and over to the side under the plastic top layer.

Update 2-18-2018
 
The colony is continuing to dig their nest a little more every day. At first I didn't realize they were digging, because they were actually putting all the dirt under the plastic piece covering the dirt. Once they finally filled the entire gap, they started piling the dirt outside the entrance on top.
 

 

 
 
You can see how far down they have dug now.
 

Is all that green stuff mold in the dirt?

Is all that green stuff mold in the dirt?

 

It's stayed wet for so long, algae is growing on the glass. I'm hoping it will go away and not obstruct the view too much as they dig it out and it dries up.

Is all that green stuff mold in the dirt?

 
It's stayed wet for so long, algae is growing on the glass. I'm hoping it will go away and not obstruct the view too much as they dig it out and it dries up.

I've never seen that before unless it was in water.