15 replies to this topic

[benjiwuf]

1. location of collection: Rochester NY, on a sidewalk 2. Date: 9/21/2014 around 7pm 3. Habitat: Urban; some grass, some small trees, mostly pavement and sidewalks. 4. Length: 15-17mm (measured) 5. Color, hue, pattern, and texture: black head to gaster, some visible hairs on the gaster, but otherwise seemingly smooth. Some grey/light black bands on gaster also. 6. Distinguishing characteristics: very large and black (only things I could tell lol) 7. Anything distinctive: 8. Nest description: could not find it If the pictures are no good I can upload them at their better size. I'm thinking a componotous based on size and color (saving up for a good microscope or camera lol)

Edited by benjiwuf, September 20 2014 - 4:01 PM.

[Gregory2455]

Camponotus?! How is that this late in the year!? It is definitely a Camponotus benjiwuf.   Although this time of the year, especially in your area, colonies are "dumping" alates that didn't fly in preparation of the winter, so she may not be fertile, but she shed her wings so that is a good sign! Great find! I wish I could find a Camponotus, but here, we are already waiting for the next flights.

Edited by Gregory2455, September 20 2014 - 4:19 PM.

[Gregory2455]

I am pretty unfamiliar with eastern species, but looking at it, I would guess Camponotus pennsylvanicus. Her gaster looks so small compared to other Camponotus queens I have seen. 

Edited by Gregory2455, September 20 2014 - 4:24 PM.

[benjiwuf]

That's what I'm thinking also, on both parts lol. However i found it alone, and when I put in some sugar and agar it would not stop eating for roughly 30 minutes. Today also is one of the warmest days we've had in weeks, so I'm still optimistic lol

[Gregory2455]

Well they never fly this late so it probably was a "dump" flight. That does not generally mean infertility though.

[benjiwuf]

That's what I'm hoping for, but only time will tell. What really surprised me was that i found one in Rochester even, as it is a rather large city. Not too many trees around to support a colony.

[Gregory2455]

Wooden houses, anything in backyards, ect.

[Gregory2455]

If she turns out to be fertile, please make a journal! That would be cool to see such a late flying Camponotus be fertile!

[benjiwuf]

Lol I'm not much of a writer, and this is all still new but I'll see what i can do. So far she's stopped eating for around 30 minutes and has eaten for a few hours now consistently. I'm thinking and hoping she was foraging for some strange reason.

Edited by benjiwuf, September 20 2014 - 6:23 PM.

[Mercutia]

I would agree with Camponotus pennsylvanicus.

[Gregory2455]

I would agree with Camponotus pennsylvanicus.

 

Yay! I got it right! 

 

I am bad with your Northeast ants. I do not think we have even one species of Camponotus in common.

[Crystals]

I also agree with Camponotus pennsylvanicus.

Either a queen whose founding chamber was destroyed or from a colony who ran low on resources and kicked a bunch of the alates out before winter.  She does look thin, not surprising at this time of year if she is without a colony.

In both cases you would do well to offer a drop of sugar water every week.  Possibly a piece of cricket or mealworm every 2nd week.

[benjiwuf]

I made up some agar sugar water for my queens, and she has not left her slice yet (going on 5 hours now). I was thinking half a cricket (given her size) tomorrow to start her off, or is that to soon?

[Gregory2455]

I overfeed my ants... A lot... I cannot really over stress the word lot. If it is too much for them to eat, they will leave it there for you to take out. It is not really a problem to overfeed them as long as you can take the leftovers out before they start to decompose, or starts to look or smell bad. This is usually every day then, because crickets stink 24 hours or so after death, and therefore not suitable for ants to eat.

Edited by Gregory2455, September 20 2014 - 11:09 PM.

[dspdrew]

Well they never fly this late so it probably was a "dump" flight. That does not generally mean infertility though.

I've seen people report Camponotus flights this late before. Even some people in Northern California claim they have seen mating flights this late. They also claim the queens were fertile too, so who knows.

[Gregory2455]

"a colony who ran low on resources and kicked a bunch of the alates out before winter" -Crystals

I've seen people report Camponotus flights this late before. Even some people in Northern California claim they have seen mating flights this late. They also claim the queens were fertile too, so who knows.

I think it is like Crystals and I said that the alates were being "dumped" or "kicked out" for the winter, of course that does not mean they will be infertile, sometimes it is like a mating flight as Drew said.

 

But again as stated, she is VERY thin, so she may have already made a founding chamber and have had it ruined? But this time of the year, if she would have flown at the normal time there would probably be workers accompanying her.