10 replies to this topic

[OmniusClone]

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I logged on, but I had this little beauty fall into my lap! Well, crawl around my kitchen ceiling, at least. Anyway, on to the important stuff. 

 

Found just outside Lindsay, CA, 5/29/18. 

It was indeed, in my kitchen, but the San Joaquin Valley is quite rural and agrarian, with the majority of the farmland around me being devoted to orange groves. 

I'm unsure of the length, but I can tell you that she's almost 3/4 of and inch, as that's the diameter of the test tubes I use. So, between 15-18 mm, ballpark. 

Colour appears to be a uniform black, but I could be wrong. I'm not sure if it's gloss or matte, but I'm erring on the side of gloss. 

As for characteristics and behavior, I was unprepared and fairly quick to get her in a drawer, so I didn't notice much. However, she was pretty quick to calm down once I got her in the test tube. 

Album: Liometopum occidentale

18 images

1 comments

 

 

Sorry for the image quality, I'll try to take some more when I can. Hopefully this'll be enough to help. I'm fairly certain that it's Componotus, I just don't know which specifically. Honestly, I'm not even sure if she's mated, but I'll hold out some hope for a little while. 

 

Anyway, thanks for all the help in advance! If there was anything here that was unclear, or if I can provide any additional information, please just let me know.

 

Cheers!

 

[Irishmate03112002]

Appears to be Liometopum occidentale to me. Need better pictures from different angles with lighting. 

 

FYI, It is very common for Liometopum queens to keep their wings after mating.

Edited by Irishmate03112002, May 31 2018 - 12:37 AM.

[OmniusClone]

Okay, had a chance to take some better photos. Looks like she's not as long as I originally estimated. 

 

 

 

These are much clearer. As a bonus, it looks like she's already laid an egg! 

 

[Irishmate03112002]

Yes, she is Liometopum occidentale.

[OmniusClone]

Out of curiosity, what leads you to believe that? From what I could find about Componotus and Liometopum, and not to dispute at all, but the two tend to be difficult to distinguish from one another. Is there something specific that stands out to you?

[Batspiderfish]

Out of curiosity, what leads you to believe that? From what I could find about Componotus and Liometopum, and not to dispute at all, but the two tend to be difficult to distinguish from one another. Is there something specific that stands out to you?

I'd say the most prominent difference is in the shape of the gaster. Camponotus, which belongs to Formicinae, has a gaster that ends in some kind of point, tipped with a cone of hairs called an acidopore. Liometopum, from Dolichoderinae, has no such structure, and for the most part its gaster is rounded at the end.

[Irishmate03112002]

To me they look very different. Maybe because I keep both. Just google images for both and put them side by side.

[OmniusClone]

Alright, looks like I'll have to change the title on that album.

I looked for a care guide, but it doesn't seem to exist. Is there anything I should be aware of that's outside the norm with this species? I understand they have prodigious populations.

[Irishmate03112002]

They are easy. Queen will lay approx 40 eggs. Put her away somewhere dark and leave her be. Once she gets workers around 6-8 weeks, just feed them a drop of sugar and a little protein every couple of days. Hummingbird nector, sugar water, sunburst, flies, mealworms, etc...They will grow rapidly and explode if fed well.

[OmniusClone]

Well thanks for all the help Irishmate and Batspiderfish. We'll have to see if anything comes from this one. Cross your fingers, cause she's the only one I've got. 

If things go well, I'll start a journal and see how far things can go.  

Cheers!

[OmniusClone]

just an update if anyone is still reading. She's laid a big clutch of eggs, and is mothering them well! Looks like I'll have to start planning for an outworld and formicarium.