14 replies to this topic

[noebl1]

1. Location of collection:                     Inside office building, Lincoln, MA

 

2. Date of collection:                            8-11-2016 around 8am

3. Habitat of collection:                       Office building running inside sealed window area

 

4. Length (from head to gaster):         ~5.75mm  

 

5. Color, hue, pattern and texture:      Very bright red, but black gaster.

 

Formica species of some sort?  Was reading about some of the slave driving ants, not sure if this is one?  Based on the gaster, if not a male, thinking parasitic or not full claustral?

 

 

 

 

[kellakk]

Is this possibly Dolichoderus mariae?

[AntsMAN]

Formica subintegra?

[Batspiderfish]

I agree with Dolichoderus mariae, based on the shininess, but I can't see any of the major details that would really pin an ID onto it. Nice find!

 

I don't know much about their founding habits. They might need workers of their own species. See if you can find anything here or on the yuku forum.

Edited by Batspiderfish, August 12 2016 - 10:40 AM.

[noebl1]

I can try again to get a better shot of it?

 

It was a bizarre find too...  literally sitting at my desk first thing in the AM, dejected as thinking I missed a Neoniger flight the night before, and it walked by the shelf for the window.  No where near a door really and windows most certainly don't open.  Only thing I can think of is they removed the filters for the HVAC in our area due to an issue, so guessing it blew it.  Coworker said he had another ant across his desk the day before he squished... so guessing could be related. 

 

Betting based on gaster size, gotta be semi-claustral as it's pretty small? Gave her some honey last night, and she very quickly went for it.

Edited by noebl1, August 12 2016 - 10:49 AM.

[VoidElecent]

Updates? I've always been very interested in Dolichoderus.

[noebl1]

Updates? I've always been very interested in Dolichoderus.

 

 

Unfortunately she didn't make it past 24h.  Guessing being bounced around thru the building HVAC wasn't so good for her.  I've had issues with other ants collected near this building dying within 24h, so guessing pesticides are also a problem.

[VoidElecent]

 

Updates? I've always been very interested in Dolichoderus.

 

 

Unfortunately she didn't make it past 24h.  Guessing being bounced around thru the building HVAC wasn't so good for her.  I've had issues with other ants collected near this building dying within 24h, so guessing pesticides are also a problem.

 

 

Ah, I see. Well, thanks for updating us anyways, I appreciate it.

 

You should try to pinpoint the location of that Dolichoderus population— apparently they're not that common.

[gcsnelling]

I hope you preserved the specimen.

[noebl1]

I did not, honestly didn't realize this was special

[VoidElecent]

I did not, honestly didn't realize this was special

 

It's ok, don't feel bad! It's nice to know there is  a Dolichoderus population in MA, so thanks for the documentation.

[noebl1]

 

I did not, honestly didn't realize this was special

 

It's ok, don't feel bad! It's nice to know there is  a Dolichoderus population in MA, so thanks for the documentation.

 

 

I did wonder about their origins a bit.  I'm really close to Hanscom, so wondered initially if hitchhikers.  Though a coworker mentioned he found one that morning too and squished it, so odds are probably not (or at least not a recent one).  I suspect I know where this colony may be living, I'll see if I can investigate this week.  I had assumed the colony there was a Formica sp, but second guessing that now.

[VoidElecent]

 

 

I did not, honestly didn't realize this was special

 

It's ok, don't feel bad! It's nice to know there is  a Dolichoderus population in MA, so thanks for the documentation.

 

 

I did wonder about their origins a bit.  I'm really close to Hanscom, so wondered initially if hitchhikers.  Though a coworker mentioned he found one that morning too and squished it, so odds are probably not (or at least not a recent one).  I suspect I know where this colony may be living, I'll see if I can investigate this week.  I had assumed the colony there was a Formica sp, but second guessing that now.

 

 

Wow, this is awesome! It would be wonderful if you found a colony or two.

 

Describe the general habitat of the land around your building— I know Dolichoderus prefer marshes and wooded glades, which are relatively hard to come by from my experience. The hitchhiker theory would make sense, I actually caught a Pogonomyrmex badius queen in Southwestern PA presumably due to the same phenomenon, but if your coworker claims he had spotted a queen, there could very well be a sizable population around there. Of course, this thread was posted about a year ago, so there's a chance any potential colonies have moved or perished in that time, but there's also a chance they've grown!

 

Good luck! I look forward to learning about your results.

[noebl1]

If weather is good I'll look tomorrow for sure when back at that office.  One thing I learned last week is some of the sidewalks there are heated by steam to keep ice/snow from collecting.  For a more southerly species, that could get them thru a cold New England winter potentially.  Then again, could just be Formica there

[noebl1]

So I went thru this area today, and with the heat, they were moving pretty darn quickly, so haven't yet confirmed the ones by the office.

 

However it dawned on me... by my house there's a lot of water and swamps (front 1/3 of my property is a seasonal pond).   I keep meaning to get this ID'ed as well:

 

 

If it's indeed  Dolichoderus, I believe it could be D. plagiatus

Edited by noebl1, August 10 2017 - 10:46 AM.