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Post by aluminum on Jul 11, 2010 19:05:56 GMT
I live in Canada, and I'm fairly certain I've got a bunch of Camponotus or similar Queens running around the house in search of new homes. I've been setting them out on the lawn, when I find them, usually.
Would anybody happen to know what Camponotus species, if any, live within the island of Newfoundland? I'd like to know who these intruders are.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 11, 2010 19:39:14 GMT
Hi Aluminum and welcome to Ant Hill World. If it is possible to get a clear photo of these ants it will help, but I am sure some of our other Canadian members will help with this question As you may know, Camponotus species are found across much of Canada and the Northern United States of America, so as much description as you can give will be of great help
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Post by aluminum on Jul 11, 2010 19:45:08 GMT
Next time I see them I'll try to see if a couple will co-operate long enough for a quick shot. Almost certain the Queens that've been wandering around are the same species as a huge hill of them out where we dumped some dirt two years ago. They appear to my eyes as completely black, in any case. Not a big help, but since aren't a few supposed to have a reddish tinge, it could exclude some candidates? Iunno. Haha. Regardless, thanks for the welcome.
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Post by aluminum on Jul 11, 2010 23:23:53 GMT
Two very poor shots of one of the Queens I've seen passing through.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Post by shane on Jul 12, 2010 0:21:43 GMT
Welcome aluminum, I sharpened image a bit of one of your pics so help to identify her which shouldn't be long
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Post by aluminum on Jul 12, 2010 0:31:02 GMT
Thank ye, does look easier to tell now. And maybe they do have some red to them that I couldn't see before? Note the right furthest back leg.
Edit: There's definitely some red on them. Caught one in a vial and shined a light on her, there's slight bits of red on the legs, some on the end of the ... erh...middle part. lol. (Ant anatomy is not my strongpoint.)
I noticed with two of them that the lines on the gaster(?) looked kinda open and a bit wet. Were these two injured, or is it some sort of defense mechanism like giving off a certain scent or chemical?
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Post by Akaant on Jul 12, 2010 2:10:35 GMT
Someone on the US forum found the same looking queen with that coloration. He thinks she might be Camponotus pennsylvanicus but color alone can't give you the exact specie. She looks like one of several Camponotus species but I can't give you much details since I don't know all the species and there distribution in Canada.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 12, 2010 8:16:50 GMT
Edit: There's definitely some red on them. Caught one in a vial and shined a light on her, there's slight bits of red on the legs, some on the end of the ... erh...middle part. lol. (Ant anatomy is not my strongpoint.) Ants are basically divided into 3 main sections. The head which has her eyes, jaws and antennae. The thorax which is the middle bit where all six legs are. (Then a small waist called the Petiole made up of 1 or 2 segments) finally ending in the gaster or abdomen, which holds the ants 2 stomachs, reproductive organs and poison sac. Some ants sting like wasps and are considered more primitive, while others spray or exude formic acid. I noticed with two of them that the lines on the gaster(?) looked kinda open and a bit wet. Were these two injured, or is it some sort of defense mechanism like giving off a certain scent or chemical? Sometimes the hard plates of chitin (an ants exoskeleton) get damaged, but it is more likely that they just expanded as a queen ant's gaster fills up with eggs. Unless the queens you saw have severely damaged gasters and appear to be very stressed by having an open wound, then it best to leave them alone and hope that they lay eggs as they normally would when founding a new colony
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Post by aluminum on Jul 12, 2010 12:45:51 GMT
I think I'm going to assume they're C. penns until I see proof otherwise. Afterall, even if I eventually see a claim that they don't range in Newfoundland, we've got several species of various beetle/bird/mammal that the rest of the world claims isn't here, but I could go down to the beach and see them all immediately. =P
Thanks for the help.
I kept the girl I saw the red on overnight. After she sucked up some honey water, her plates seemed more open too, and I saw the same thing in a thread on another forum about the plates expanding after the Camponotus Queen had just eaten a lot.
I'll probably just feed her some more, then let her go sometime tomorrow. I was planning on doing it this afternoon, but apparently we'll be having pouring rain, so I didn't want to risk drowning her. I considered keeping one, but don't they Campos usually get up to 3000-4000 ants in a nest? lol. I don't think I'd have room for that.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 12, 2010 19:18:25 GMT
I would keep a queen and see if you can start off a colony, as if it exceeds a limit of say 1,000+ ants, you could then release the colony into the wild as they are a native species which will not cause any harm to the regional environment. Perhaps given enough time, food and space a colony may grow to 3,000+ individuals, but this would take several years; and having a small colony of up to around 700 will give you some experience of keeping ants. If you have other set ups empty then you could try a smaller species which has less ants
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Post by aluminum on Jul 12, 2010 19:46:20 GMT
Certainly not saying I'll try to go ahead with raising her + any daughters that come about, but how much space would a colony of several hundred ants need anyways? Especially since these are quite a bit bigger than any species I've ever attempted before.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 13, 2010 7:40:32 GMT
Sure, they would need a fairly large space. It depends upon what kind of set up you have available? Although it would require a minimum size of say 12" x 10", it also needs to have large tunnels and chambers if you make a Ytong (aerated concrete) style nest. Plaster or wood they will probably chew through unless it very hard wood, so a plastic or glass type is better. My own 2 Campo colonies are living in the Ant-O-Sphere globe set up at the moment, but they do quite well in a plastic or glass fish tank half filled with a mix of peat and sand. Check out Akaant's journal videos, as he keeps his Campo ants in home made set ups which might give you some ideas
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Post by aluminum on Jul 13, 2010 12:24:22 GMT
Thank ye for the help. I caught another last night, as it was running full tilt away from the cat. Regardless, she actually looks in better shape than the first one who was scooped up.
I'm an avid Aquarist, with about 275 gallons worth of water under my belt at the moment, so, finding a spare small fish tank definitely wouldn't be hard. I've got loads of spare equipment here, exactly for "Just in case I ever need it again" type situations. =P
Oh well, I'll make my decision later today, when I was going to with the first girl regardless;
Do I keep both, doubling my chances for a successful brood? Do I release one, just because I don't really need two colonies, so why risk it? Do I release both, and completely ignore the best Queen collecting I've personally ever seen?
Haha, just lots to think over. And I suppose the fact that they do indeed seem to be a native species does give me a bit more leeway. I'll go take a look at those videos regardless.
Thanks again.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 13, 2010 16:28:22 GMT
Keep them both for now, as although the bigger queen may be stronger it doesn't always follow that she will be the better mother. So if you get 2 colonies going, you can always release one next spring and keep the best colony; and it also provides a spare in case either one dies out for reason, or you find another Canadian ant lover who wants a colony for a small price, or to swap for another ant species. I have kept local native ants for a year or two, then let them go back into the wild simply because I wanted to keep another species and didn't have enough spare empty set ups. Here are links to those Campo journals, which both contain great photos and videos queenant.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=localants&action=display&thread=3634queenant.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=localants&action=display&thread=3631Please feel free to start your own journal on your Camponotus queens, and any progress they make founding their respective colonies.
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Post by aluminum on Jul 16, 2010 11:10:20 GMT
Well, that was a surprise.
Apparently I've still got Campos in the house. Doesn't really surprise me, it's just that the cats knock out 90% by themselves.
Went to put on my jeans this morning, a Queen fell out, scurrying away, antennae waving around in indignation. Did my best to shake out the leg near the spot she had disappeared, just in case there were eggs stuck in it.
Regardless, earlier this week I released the Queens I had outside. Perhaps next year, I'll start a Campo colony. Thanks for all the help, regardless.
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