Formicidae (family)

Unidentified ant at Holder, ACT

Formicidae (family) at Holder, ACT - 13 Feb 2022
Formicidae (family) at Holder, ACT - 13 Feb 2022
Formicidae (family) at Holder, ACT - 13 Feb 2022
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Identification history

Formicidae (family) 13 Feb 2022 JonLewis
Unidentified 13 Feb 2022 Miranda

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User's notes

Ants have moved into this bee hotel. I poked through one of them with a stick to see what was inside, and there are eggs in the tunnels which the ants are tending. They have blocked the holes up with a fluffy-looking white substance with a hole just small enough for the ants to come and go. Seems to be one ant colony which has taken over all the holes in the bee hotel, even though they are not joined internally. There were no bees in here when the ants moved in so it's not a case of them raiding bee broods, they have just taken over the empty holes.

2 comments

JonLewis wrote:
   13 Feb 2022
Hi Amanda, interesting sighting but I can't see the ants well enough to identify them, sorry. They could be a small Iridomyrmex, Monomorium or Tapinoma, among other possibilities. Cheers, Jon
Miranda wrote:
   13 Feb 2022
Thanks Jon. I might see if I can catch one and get a better photo at some point. I've got a little microscope camera which might do the job. Cheers, Miranda

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 101 - 1,000 Abundance
  • 13 Feb 2022 09:04 AM Recorded on
  • Miranda Recorded by

Additional information

  • Less than 5mm Animal size
  • Female Gender
  • Eggs Breeding behaviour

Species information

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  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
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