This was a bit of a thing to write home about (or on iNat ;-)

There are no balbyters of any description on this whole property. Then on this one day in January, three queens pitched up in the garden within a couple of square metres.

They are HUGE!!

They hung around for a couple of days, and then all three disappeared.

Identification based on "Wheeler, W. M. 1919f. The ants of Borneo. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 63: 43-147 (page 146, queen described)"

This should be the first iNaturalist observation posted of this species, as well as a new geographical record made.

The biology of C. satan is unknown. The name was given due to the queen's satanic biteforce. Further research on this species will be conducted on an expedition to Thailand in a couple of years.

The queens are in possession and photographed by David K., supplied by P. Vichanukroh from Thailand.

The queens were initially collected by K. Rodnamsing, together with Camponotus pressipes errans from another observation posted. (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/169003794)

Near Cheow Lan Lake, Surat Thani, Thailand, by the end of May 2023, believed to be a night nuptial flight. I will update this post with further data when available.

These photographs are posted with permission of the authors. The names of people involved are mentioned by their request.