Location of collection: The Dalles, Oregon.
Date of collection: July 1st, 2018
Habitat of collection: Oak savanah but caught in rural yard.
Length: about 7mm (see pics)
I caught this queen during one of our two massive swarm Tetramorium flights. When first caught I did not notice she was different and she went in with my Tetramorium queens. However the other day I was checking in on the queens (housecleaning, giving a dab of honey, reviewing brood, etc.) and I saw that she had only a few eggs (vs the massive piles of eggs/larvae with the other queens). Upon further review I noticed that she looked different that the queens I had collected. Her thorax is much smaller and her abdomen more bulbous that the Tetramorium queens (see comparison photos below). In addition her color is lighter. I am not an expert in ants but she stands out as being different looking.
I know she may be a Tetramorium as there is diversity in any species phenotype. But this one seems an outlier. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer. I tried to take the best photos I could but my phone in macro mode, even with a lens, is not the best, especially through a test tube.
Thanks, Mike
