Cork Head Ant
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Cork Head Ant
I found a special ant today. It is Camponotus truncatus. It nests wood in small colonies. The queen and the mayors has a special head. They can block the small entrance with their head. When an ant from the colony arrives the mayor go back and let it enter. The enemies has a hard time to go in the colony. Unfortunately I did not find the nest entrance. It would be a hard job to make a picture from the entrance, but it could be a very unique picture.
This is the first time I found this ant. I collected a specimen to stack it later.
[Edited] One more picture added.
This is the first time I found this ant. I collected a specimen to stack it later.
[Edited] One more picture added.
Last edited by acerola on Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Péter
- Erland R.N.
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- Planapo
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Very nice find and great pictures, better than those in Seifert´s book!
You know Péter, I was kinda waiting for you to post a picture of this famous species with the chances of encoutering it being much higher down in the South at your place.
I encountered C. truncatus the first time several years ago in a warm wine-growing area of Germany. A specimen of the major morph is in my collection and, of course, on the "to-be-stacked list" .
--Betty
You know Péter, I was kinda waiting for you to post a picture of this famous species with the chances of encoutering it being much higher down in the South at your place.
I encountered C. truncatus the first time several years ago in a warm wine-growing area of Germany. A specimen of the major morph is in my collection and, of course, on the "to-be-stacked list" .
--Betty
An excellent find and beautiful pictures. I have seen these on a show I saw on the animal or Discover Channel TV. I found (not personally, in my book "Ants of North America") a species in the USA Camponotus (Colobopsis) obliquus a small species that forms small ardoreal colonies. Most common in the southeastern USA, it has the same plug shaped head...start looking Ken
Take Nothing but Pictures--Leave Nothing but Footprints.
Doug Breda
Doug Breda
Betty: My old dream was just to make a picture from them. It is really surprised me that I find it, and what surprises me more that I find it on the place I visit 5-6 times in a year for a while (my main photo site).
lauriek: They are 4-5 mm long.
beetleman: I checked it in antweb. The USA species are quite the same at the first glance. It can be found in Florida for example.
lauriek: They are 4-5 mm long.
beetleman: I checked it in antweb. The USA species are quite the same at the first glance. It can be found in Florida for example.
Péter
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There is still some debate as to whether the correct placement is Campontus or not. They are unquestionably a Formicine though and not a Dolichoderine. However about the only feature in which they differ is the head shape which is not considered by most the be significant enough to warrant their own genus