60 replies to this topic

[Mettcollsuss]

I caught this queen that I think is Formica incerta last summer. I took her out of hibernation about a week ago, and she had 3 eggs when I last checked up on her. I don't normally start journals for queens until they get to workers, as I explained in my F. subsericea journal. But, this queen is showing several signs of being fertile, so I figured I might as well go ahead and start this journal.

 

Like all Formica queens, she's very paranoid. Unlike most Formica queens, when panicking, she takes some of her brood with her to try and save it. Most Formica queens I've had in the past only try to save themselves.

 

Here are some photos from a couple days ago. While I was taking the photos, she had an egg stuck to the underside of her abdomen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Mettcollsuss, December 3 2018 - 6:28 AM.

[Mettcollsuss]

Here's what I know about this species: they are in the pallidefulva group, omnivorous, colonies rarely exceed 3,000 ants, and are fairly rare (at least around here).

 

This queen responds very well to heat. She laid the eggs just a day after I added a heating cable.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, February 17 2018 - 12:29 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

That looks a lot like Formica neorufibarbis. I caught a colony last year. I ended up releasing them three days after capture.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, February 17 2018 - 12:36 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

That looks a lot like Formica neorufibarbis. I caught a colony last year. I ended up releasing them three days after capture.

Hmm. She does look pretty similar to that. I'll start an ID thread.

[Mettcollsuss]

2-17-18

Five eggs now.

[TennesseeAnts]

And with my experience with these is they are aggressive and polymorphic.

[TennesseeAnts]

Update?

[Mettcollsuss]

3-3-18

She now has two medium-large larvae and one pupae. I'm starting to think she's actually Formica neorufibarbis. I started an ID thread to be sure.

[AnthonyP163]

I'm pretty sure that's not Formica neorufibarbis

 

They look like this.

 

[Mettcollsuss]

3-5-18

Now 2 pupae, 1 large larvae, and 3 eggs.

[Mettcollsuss]

3-7-18

The pupae now have eyes.

[TennesseeAnts]

I am excited for this colony! Mine failed to lay.

[Ants4fun]

Definitely one of the prettier queens of this genus.

[TennesseeAnts]

Agreed.

[Mettcollsuss]

3-13-18

One of the pupae is getting darker. Nanitics shouldn't be too far away.

[Mettcollsuss]

3-16-18

A worker finally eclosed! Its exoskeleton is still hardening and pale, but it's up and about. She doesn't seem interested in food right now. She's surprisingly small compared to the queen. I'll get photos soon.

[Jadeninja9]

I’m exited for the pics

[Mettcollsuss]

I'm going to use the worker to help with the ID, but I'm going to wait a little bit longer since her color hasn't come in completely yet. But from what I can tell, she looks lighter in color than the F. neorufibarbis in the photos above.

[TennesseeAnts]

Nice job!

[TennesseeAnts]

Pics?