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CrazyLegs Queens

Started By CrazyLegs , Apr 22 2017 12:48 PM

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#1 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted April 22 2017 - 12:48 PM

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I will post pics of queens I have or have had here. It may help other Australians to identify ants they may have found.

 

I will begin with some you have probably already seen.

 

Brev queen
Myrmecia brevinoda.
With queens that can reach lengths of 45mm, this is the biggest of the big. It is also the only Myrmecia that has polymorphic workers.
 
Camponotus aeneopilosis

Camponotus and Crew

Camponotus aeneopilosis.

No stingers and pretty gold colours makes these a popular ant to keep.

 

Amblyapone sp.
Amblyapone sp.
Amblyopone sp.
The blood sucking Dracula ant takes a while to settle and start laying eggs.
 
Anonychomyrma Sp And brood
growing brood
Anonychomyrma sp.
Hardy little ant with a temper.
 
Sugar Ant colony 2
Camponotus sp.
The trusty sugar ant.
 
Polyrhachis australis
Polyrhachis australis.
The rattle ant makes its home within leaves and curled bark using silk from larvae to weave the substrates together. When distressed the colony will beat their gasters against the nest walls and make a distinct rattling sound.
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 


Edited by CrazyLegs, May 5 2017 - 12:08 PM.

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#2 Offline Leo - Posted April 22 2017 - 4:23 PM

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cooooooooool


#3 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted April 26 2017 - 10:53 PM

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Chrysogaster

Guess I should add the Myrmecia chrysogaster even though she has long since passed on.


Edited by CrazyLegs, April 26 2017 - 10:54 PM.

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#4 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted April 27 2017 - 1:06 AM

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Polyrhachis ammon
IMAG1747 1

The holy grail of Polyrhachis chasers, the golden Polyrhachis ammon is the biggest of the genus.


Edited by CrazyLegs, May 5 2017 - 12:00 PM.

#5 Offline Leo - Posted April 27 2017 - 1:09 AM

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nice colour


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#6 Offline Jelly - Posted April 27 2017 - 7:29 AM

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Australian ants are no joke...

Giant ants, with giant jaws and bad tempers...


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#7 Offline sgheaton - Posted April 27 2017 - 7:31 AM

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And he willingly puts them into his house! 


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"I'm the search bar! Type questions into me and I'll search within the forums for an answer!"

#8 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted April 27 2017 - 1:01 PM

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IMAG1953 1
Everybody knows the common Aphaenogaster longiceps. she's always curling herself up like a pretzel. :)

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#9 Offline Guzzer - Posted April 30 2017 - 5:51 PM

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Everybody knows the common Aphaenogaster longiceps. she's always curling herself up like a pretzel. :)

 

 

We caught around 15 fertile queens that all laid eggs/workers over a few months.

I kept one and the rest have moved on to other Aussie keepers.

 

By far one of our fav. ants at home - unfortunately super shy and only come out at night.


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#10 Offline Licespray - Posted April 30 2017 - 8:36 PM

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If you guys ever have surplus queens and are selling, please shoot me a PM? :)


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#11 Offline Guzzer - Posted May 1 2017 - 5:16 PM

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If you guys ever have surplus queens and are selling, please shoot me a PM? :)

Best thing to do is express interest of what genus of ants you're after on the "Ant Farms buy and swap Australia" facebook group

 

I was after a Camp. intrepidus and managed to get one within minutes of posting. Also you might find some people to give away common ant: I have given away Aphaenogaster. Pheidole & Iridomyrmex


Edited by Guzzer, May 1 2017 - 5:17 PM.

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#12 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted May 3 2017 - 2:17 PM

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Here's a pretty little queen ant I had identified as Mayriella sp. Its back looks a bit like the top of Donald trumps head. :D

Mayriella sp 1 040517
Mayriella sp 2 040517
Mayriella sp 3 040517
At 6mm long they can be quite hard to spot and play dead when disturbed.

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#13 Offline Guzzer - Posted May 3 2017 - 9:52 PM

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What a unique looking Queen - looking forward to seeing her workers.


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#14 Offline Martialis - Posted May 4 2017 - 3:07 AM

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Hi CrazyLegs, can you get a dorsal picture of your queen? I'm trying to ID her to a species.


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#15 Offline Martialis - Posted May 4 2017 - 12:57 PM

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Never mind- after consulting a key, I believe she's M. abstinens.


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#16 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted May 4 2017 - 2:16 PM

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Sorry Martialis, I'm a bit slow. :) There are only a few known species to choose from and I think you have nailed it. The hair doesn't really show up from the top view but here she is.

Mayriella Sp Top 050517

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#17 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted May 4 2017 - 2:20 PM

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I've found a few of these Anochetus graeffei queens and they have me working on my first formicarium for tiny ants.

Anochetus Sp
That's the queen in the middle looking up at me. She is only 6mm long (mandibles included). I sent one to a friend who takes great macro shots and he sent me back a good pic to share.
Anochetues graeffei billys shot
Top job Billy. (y)
 
These girls are going to live in a tiny little jar until their new formicarium is complete.
IMAG1989
IMAG1900 1

 

 


Edited by CrazyLegs, May 4 2017 - 2:24 PM.

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#18 Offline Leo - Posted May 4 2017 - 3:38 PM

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whoa...


#19 Offline Licespray - Posted May 4 2017 - 8:27 PM

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If you guys ever have surplus queens and are selling, please shoot me a PM? :)

Best thing to do is express interest of what genus of ants you're after on the "Ant Farms buy and swap Australia" facebook group

 

I was after a Camp. intrepidus and managed to get one within minutes of posting. Also you might find some people to give away common ant: I have given away Aphaenogaster. Pheidole & Iridomyrmex

 

 

I don't have facebook though :P

 

 

Great pics, CrazyLegs


#20 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted May 5 2017 - 12:05 PM

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Polyrhachis rufifemur

The smaller but equally attractive Polyrhachis rufifemur

IMAG1883 1
Here she is doing the running man. :)

Edited by CrazyLegs, May 5 2017 - 12:05 PM.

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