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I caught some queen ants that were walking around on the ground. I have no idea what species this is. Could you help me with this. I caught four queens. I placed two into a tube with cotton seperating them. I put one in an ant farm and another in a little container filled with damp dirt as to dig and start a nest. My question is what should i do with these queens so they will start laying eggs?
I don't know the species, but the small abdomen suggests they aren't claustral queens, so they must eat something to raise first brood. Maybe it's Pogonomyrmex? There are probably circa 100 ant species in Kansas, and most people here are from Europe, so we don't know much about them. Try to ask in http://antfarm.yuku.com
Thankx, i will go and ask there, but is it okay to keep the queen ants in the tube. will they lay eggs?
Yes, such tubes can be used as starter nests, only remember keep the cotton always damp. You may feed her with small insects (smaller than her), maybe also little honey, and if it is harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex) she may also accept some seed.
No, it isn't a Pogonomyrmex. Pogonomyrmex have a double petiolar article, and a lower alitrunk. I think it's a formicine specie, but i don't have any idea about the genus...I think it's Polyergus breviceps, but i am not so sure...
Polyergus breviceps' queen
If it's really Polyergus, it will not lay eggs...it need a Formica (fusca-group) host colony...
Yes, you're right, now I see it's really some Formicinae ant - the photos aren't very good ant i didn't see the petiole well.
I am sorry for the quality of the picture and how they were taken. They look like Polyergus Breviceps. I have placed two Pogonomyrmex larvae inside with the two queens. Will they accept them?
I think Sphecomyrmex is wright about the species. I doubt they will accept the larvae, its better to give them Formica cocoons or larvae. Isn't there a Formica colony near you somewhere ? Than you could steal some brood from them to give to your queens.
(BTW: nice looking ants. ;) )
It's easy to wrong... Polyergus and Pogonomyrmex are similar in the look...
I'm sure it's a Formicinae ant but i'm not so sure it's Polyergus...a frontal photo can help to the ID...
I don't think Polyergus accept Pogonomyrmex larvae...You could try to place some Formica (fusca-group) larvae or pupae...Polyergus is a very interesting specie, but it's very hard and complicated to keep...If you want keep it, you must give you at least two colonies of a Formica fusca-group specie.
Oh I have contemporarily posted
=> edit Mod
What do you mean by this ? :)