1787 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

wow, that guy got offered - a Myrmecia nigriceps colony, Camponotus suffusus queen and some I.purpureus, for that queen - which may or may not be a C.affinis

As from the side view she looks a lot like my Pheidole antipodum queens

 

So I'm out... she is not worth that, especially as she can die at any time, and not confirmed fertile with just eggs alone

I don't think her chances of survival out of the tropics are good either

 

The only confirmed local Carebara affinis queen that a friend found does not look like her, much more red with a larger head

 

 

Even the Alex Wild pics taken from the area indicate a much more red colour

 

https://www.alexande...enera/Carebara/

Edited by CoolColJ, February 3 2021 - 5:51 PM.

[CoolColJ]

Spotted a Meranoplus queen ant looking for a nesting spot, when I was looking for a Polyrachis hookeri (gold bum variant) nest I used to keep an eye on..... But I didn't have anything to capture her with!

 

Tried to cup her in my hands and she got out

 

Should have used my belt pouch in hindsight....

 

https://www.instagra.../p/CK20GL9gLf9/

[Manitobant]

That queen the guy has is definitely affinis. The queen you just posted is another carebara, probably some undescribed or cryptic species.

Edited by Manitobant, February 3 2021 - 8:18 PM.

[CoolColJ]

So that guy found another queen... the other one is on it's way to the new owner which I have had a brief chat to on Discord, will interesting to see how well she does out of the tropics.

 

So does this look like an affinis?

Also have noticed that all the queens that have been found here, have had wings

 

Edited by CoolColJ, February 9 2021 - 4:32 AM.

[NickAnter]

Going to agree with Manitobant here. The queen that you pictured seems quite a bit different from most affinis pictures I have seen. According to AntWiki, the taxonomy of Carebara is tricky, and there isn't really a key for Australian species, likely because they haven't been studied, and so there are several more species. Of course, it is also possible the queen was lumped under the affinis name, simply because there was no other species there that came close in terms of size.

[CoolColJ]

After years of seeing the workers and uncovering nests in my area, I have finally found a Polyrachis ammon queen!
Found her under a rock this afternoon

She is around 12mm
 
click

 

 

[CoolColJ]

Summer 14th February 2021

 

Pheidole sp. red 7mm queens x 2
16mm test tube on heat cable - exposed to light
 

Colony 1 - about 20 workers now, and some brood

 

Colony 2 - started much slower but has overtaken colony 1 with about 30+ workers now, lots of brood, and about to get their first major, as I see at least two major pupa already!

Edited by CoolColJ, February 13 2021 - 10:21 PM.

[Antkeeper01]

After years of seeing the workers and uncovering nests in my area, I have finally found a Polyrachis ammon queen!
Found her under a rock this afternoon

She is around 12mm
 
click

 

 

so so beautiful!

[antsandmore]

That's awesome. Don't they grow pretty slow though?

[CoolColJ]

That's awesome. Don't they grow pretty slow though?

Well the Polyrachis rufifemur I had before had 6 month brood times, this girl is bigger, so we shall see, but I from others they seem to grow OK, at least like Camponotus speeds
 
---
 
I put her in a test tube last night and she kept pulling on the cotton, trying to get out
 
Moved her to a small founding nest - 3D printed with gypsum floor+ embedded sand.
magnetic glass top with refillable mesh covered chamber.
She took to it fairly quickly... although the rufifemur I moved in there before died after a few weeks...
 
She found an old baby roach head, and started nibbling on it.
Place a freshly killed one in and she attacked it grabbed and carried it back into the nest
Pretty unexpected... as I didn't expect such aggression!

Edited by CoolColJ, February 14 2021 - 3:23 PM.

[Manitobant]

So that guy found another queen... the other one is on it's way to the new owner which I have had a brief chat to on Discord, will interesting to see how well she does out of the tropics.
 
So does this look like an affinis?
Also have noticed that all the queens that have been found here, have had wings
 

So that guy found another queen... the other one is on it's way to the new owner which I have had a brief chat to on Discord, will interesting to see how well she does out of the tropics.
 
So does this look like an affinis?
Also have noticed that all the queens that have been found here, have had wings
 

yes, that is affinis. Also, carebara, at least the trimorphic diversa style ones, seem to like to keep their wings, even after laying.

[Egghead8888]

How is your Notostigama Foreli going?
I have had my queen for like 2 months now.. but she is still so shy and scared even thought she is inside a padded test tube away from anything that should scare her

No signs of eggs or anything still...

She is a big beautiful girl.. can't wait till I get her to into a bigger space so I can see her more often but the way things are going... no idea when that would happen

 

If you have any tips/tricks I would really appreciate =)

 

 

 

Looking after these big, about 2cm orange Camponotus queens for a friend, have about 14 here!

 

edit - Notostigma foreli apparently
 
https://www.instagra.../p/CKNJP07A0Kb/
 

[CoolColJ]

How is your Notostigama Foreli going?
I have had my queen for like 2 months now.. but she is still so shy and scared even thought she is inside a padded test tube away from anything that should scare her
No signs of eggs or anything still...
She is a big beautiful girl.. can't wait till I get her to into a bigger space so I can see her more often but the way things are going... no idea when that would happen
 
If you have any tips/tricks I would really appreciate =)

Wasn't mine, I was just babysitting 14 queens for a friend while he was in quarantine
Over half of them had laid eggs and with small larvae already in the week I had em


--

In other news

I opened my Iridomrymex nest and left them outside this morning.
Checked on them and they are still there huddled in two chamber s with some dead ants of a different species at each entrance.
Seems like a battle had occurred...
Hopefully they leave the nest soon. They are over 200 strong

[CoolColJ]

Autumn 21st February 2021
 
Polyrachis ammon 12mm queen
Small 3D printed founding nest
 
I cheated.... I found her 6 brown cocoons today, that look ready to eclose

She was confused when she found them at her front entrance, so ran around looking for an opening that allowed these to appear.

 

Then she moved 4 of them into the nest is now sitting on top of them, but left 2 others outside.

Either they were damaged or something else.....

 

 

[CoolColJ]

Thought this spider ant was a queen due to her size, about 14mm and thicker legs, but no ocelli on her head, so just a worker.... Queens are hard to find for this species, as they have no wings and don't fly, so they leave the nest on foot.

 

 

 

 

Then today I saw a spider ant drone sitting motionless today on a branch... Looks like it's time for the queens to move out on foot!
So at least for this black and orange species, late February is when they have nuptials here

 

https://www.instagra.../p/CLi__DlAm4a/

[antsandmore]

Thought this spider ant was a queen due to her size, about 14mm and thicker legs, but no ocelli on her head, so just a worker.... Queens are hard to find for this species, as they have no wings and don't fly, so they leave the nest on foot.

 

 

 

 

Then today I saw a spider ant drone sitting motionless today on a branch... Looks like it's time for the queens to move out on foot!
So at least for this black and orange species, late February is when they have nuptials here

 

https://www.instagra.../p/CLi__DlAm4a/

I really like spider ants, as they look awesome, and since they aren't well documented, it would be awesome if you can catch a queen! best of luck!

[CoolColJ]

Picked up a Myrmecia tarsata for a friend.
Pretty 23mm thing, with emerald green colouration and gold mandibles

video
https://www.instagra...m/p/CMD8zw0g7Vb
 

Edited by CoolColJ, March 5 2021 - 8:09 PM.

[antsandmore]

Picked up a Myrmecia tarsata for a friend.
Pretty 23mm thing, with emerald green colouration and gold mandibles

video
https://www.instagra...m/p/CMD8zw0g7Vb
 

man there sure are living gems out there.

[CoolColJ]

She's pretty docile as well.

[NickAnter]

That is some subtly beautiful coloration on that species! Would love to see a journal on this species eventually.