r/antkeeping

I’ve tried a few times before with wild queens, but I’m a noob and this is the furthest I’ve made it. How do I keep the brood healthy I know she’ll do most of the work and so will the workers once they grow up. I’m thinking possibly Camponotus chromaiodes based on the coloration. Black head and abdomen with a dark redish brown thorax. I don’t have the know how to verify 100% anyways any information helps.

Pictures 1-7 -> Liometopum microcephalum

Picture 8 -> Temnothorax clypeathus ?

Pictures 9 , 10 -> Messor wasmanni with some grass seeds

Picture 11 -> Crematogaster scutellaris

First photo is an obvious one. Camponotus modoc soldier.

Second photo, unsure of species. 1-2 mm in size. Want to say tapinoma due to heart shaped gaster?

Third photo, lasius (niger or neoniger?)

4th & 5th photo maybe formica? Super fast little bugger so I’m assuming so.

For the record, taxonomy is not my strong suit. I get easily confused by tons of different info (autism)

I caught this queen early morning in the Midwest, specifically southern indiana, shorter than the length of my fingernail

Found in north italy, around 4-5mm

Just an update video on how my colony are doing. A good egg pile!

I found this queen camponotus vagus two months ago, as you can see its going very good i think i saw 8 workers! I fed them some honeywater yesterday for the first time, removed the foil today and this is how it looked like

Hello I found this queen last week in Milan, it s about 10mm and I think it s a bit similar to a Lasius niger but it s way more brownish. Someone knows the species? Thanks

Hello I found this queen last week in Milan, it s about 10mm, someone knows the species? Thanks

I spoted a group of winged ants and workers bundled together, just by what looks like nest entrance Are these male alates waiting to fly when the sun goes down a little?

Hi I found this dead queen ant two weeks ago in Rome, she was about 10-12mm. I ve never seen a queen with yellow head, someone knows the species?

I caught this very tiny orange queen this morning in southern Indiana

Is this a queen or worker? Survived the whole shower clinging for life so I saved her. Midatlantic USA

So apparently I misidentified them before, but here’s a Lasius virgin queen and drone. Now that I know they’re lasius, not sure I’m going to keep them, as I have more colonies of tetramorium nearby than I do of lasius. Not exactly sure what species of lasius she is, but a nice catch/spot none the less.

Found today at 10am, on path, cloudy, 17°C, windy, around some grass and trees, czechia, europe. Thank you