ANTSTORE World of Ants

[thecowmaster]

I think it wouldn't be a bad ideia to put a FAQ's topic in the "help identifing ants".

If it is not asking for to much

[jartok]

A bad idea ? for putting up but you want up ?

[tail__]

I think thecowmaster is a rapper, when he says "bad" it means "good"

[thecowmaster]

ups LOL i forgot to put the "n't" in the would


Ok i have already corrected XD

[SteveUK28]

Well cowmaster.. Why dont u create a FAQ.. and if its good enough im sure Jimmy might just put it up. At least put the questions up anyways for people to answer if your not sure yourself

[thecowmaster]

well lol i am still a noob and i don't know much about that


i will write on this topic and tell me what you think

[thecowmaster]

Material:

-tweesers
-ruler
-amplifing lent
-camera
-sheet of paper
-pencil
-good mood

1º

Find an ant colonie, pick some of the workers and messure them and take a picture. (Draw if you don't have an a camera). If you can try to see there larva.

2º

with the amplifier lent try to see how many eyes them have, and there body shape and colour.

3º

Try to see what they eat

4º

Put the pictures on the forum, so that we can lend a little help

5º

Go to a formipedia and try to find the specie (atending to the body shape, alimentation, ants size, larva looking, there behavior(agresive, peaceful,...).

ATENTION:

Try not to kill ants if you can, don't destroy there nest.

[thecowmaster]

well these are some ideias lol complete this if you don't mind XD

We can do this all, to Jimmy put this in the topic.

[SteveUK28]

lol not to bad cow master... il put add to it later when im not so busy.. and hopefully Jimmy will make it a sticky for us.

[Messorus]

Real identifing of ants(determination) is compared on ,,determination points", which are points on ant body, useful for real identification of ant species..... You wrote up nice list for determination biology of the ant...

Biology points are habitat of colony, her nest profile and size, nesto position, humidity, trees and outworld of nest; things about that; trophobiotic animals; their food and ,,hunting" culture....

Determination points are parts of body, which are characteristic/specific for existesnt specie, which is determinated.... In a lot of cases, for example at Lemnothorax and Muchothorax ants, it´s petiolus with postpetiolus and propodeum with specific spines and other formes.... For determination is also used clypheus, place above mandibuls and maxills(-here are flavour and pheromone receptor/ other pheromone receptors are on antenae).
Here is also difference between Tapinoma erraticum and T. ambiguum- T. erraticum don´t have two small ,,hilly" formes on clypheus, which T. ambiguum have.... This is just one difference between this two species! They have just small differences bewteen their life biology, but anatomy determination is more essential...
Also Formica rufibarbis and F. lusatica... Pigment- first segment of F. lusatica is lighter than at F. rufibarbis, isn´t head pointing.. There are other species which have pigmentation similiar to these two species, but their anatomy points are hardly conspicuous....
Difference between F. lusatica and F. rufibarbis is, that F. lusatica have three specific hairs on her part of a leg- on pro-tarsus... Their life biology and habitats are also similiar....

Identification of ants here on the forum isn´t very accurate
By photos it isn´t very accurate, you need very macro photo... For determination are used ,,Determinating keys", and on ants are these keys in PDF on the internet.... Literature for determination is also popular, but like age goes, PDF formats are more useful. For very good determination you need determinating key, preparation of an ant and biocular microscop.... By photos, like I said, it isn´t accurate.. When you want learn how to determinate ant, first thing which you´ve to do(and also good for ant keeping) is to learn ant anatomy very good.

I put here several link of good anatomy pictures:
Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar For Formicinae(just one part of ,,node"- petiolus)

Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar Easy anatomy

Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar Nice Formicinae and Myrmicinae comparation

Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar Few things aren´t used now, like a words, but it is very good to learn.....

Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar

Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar

Sorry from my english

[TimLarge]

Very nice pictures!

[thecowmaster]

woa to see all the ants part, we almost need a micoscope...

[SteveUK28]

there is just one problem there.. Not everyone can take macro shots.. especialy if your out an about and u see the ants moving.. its kinda hard to ask an ant to keep still for a minute

[Messorus]

there is just one problem there.. Not everyone can take macro shots.. especialy if your out an about and u see the ants moving.. its kinda hard to ask an ant to keep still for a minute

That´s why are better dry preparations of ants.. By biocular microscop(this type is used for entomology) is determination of preparations easier...

[thecowmaster]

for talking about microscop, do you adivice these shop/product_info.php/info/p441_Pockets-microscope-60x-100x.html?