Myrmica sp.

[James O'Neill]

I lifted up a rock in the garden a few days ago to find this large nest under it. There were about 5 queens, so I took 1, and about 50 workers and a few pupae and brood. I placed them into a plaster nest I had made, and the queen seems to have settled in immediately. The workers moved all brood into a couple of chambers. They have found the foraging pot quickly but always seem reluctant to go in. I'm sure they will becme more brave as it becomes more familiar. They have dragged a small moth and a fly back into the nest through the tube already.
I'm sure these will do well.
I'm not sure how to tell the difference between species, but I'm sure I'll get it sometime.

[Wood~Ant]

In Ireland there are 3 main Myrmica species. They are M. rubra, M. ruginodis and M. scabrinodis.
In the area you live I think the latter is most likely the main contender, but they may be the other 2 depending on details like length of epinotal spines or nodes on their antennae

[James O'Neill]

Thanks Wood. I'll have a look about iding these.

They started placing their pupae in the connecting tube to the foraging box - no doubt about to move them into the box itself. I didn't want that, so I shook the tube gently and they started taking them back into the nest. They have not moved them since.
An alate queen I had placed in the nest has now mated with a male and started to lay her own eggs. Good. Now there are 2 queens in the nest.
They have been busy dissecting bluebottles