4 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

I found this ant crawling on my porch here in the Costa Mesa, California area. This is surprising because I don't think I have ever seen any ant other than an Argentine ant in any of these coastal Orange County cities before. This ant is kind of a dark red color, and about the size of an Argentine ant. I wasn't even sure it was an ant when I first saw it, because of the size of it's head, but after taking a closer look, it's definitely an ant, and one I have never seen anything like here in Southern California.

 

I later found a few more of these crawling around on my porch, so there's obviously a nest somewhere near by. I also noticed some of these are VERY tiny, about 1.5 mm in length.

 

Edit: This species name changed from Pheidole moerens to Pheidole navigans.

 

Minor Worker


Major Worker

[dspdrew]

Originally posted 8-16-2013:
 
It's so strange that I resurrected this old post and mentioned my hopes of seeing a mating flight from these next year, because something just had a mating flight this morning at my apartment complex, and it looks kind of like Pheidole. I found a few (estimated 4.5 mm) female alates walking around in my apartment this morning just before dawn (which as far as I know, is I think when Pheidole have their flights), and without looking with any magnification, and with wings in the way, they seem to be shaped like Pheidole. These alates were black though I think, so does anyone know if the Pheidole in this thread could have queens very dark or black in color? And no, they were not males. I caught a few of them as I was getting ready for work, so I should get some pictures when I get home today.
 

 

[dspdrew]

Originally posted 8-13-2013:

 

While I was down on the carpet working on something last night, a tiny red Pheidole minor walked by. Assuming this was most likely the colony I once had living in the stucco next to my porch, I put a little smashed cricket on a piece of foil and placed her on it. I put the foil with her on it out on my porch and checked it in the morning, and the cricket was gone. Then, I noticed more Pheidole workers wandering all around on my new porch made of pavers. So it looks like they survived the construction after all; that's pretty amazing. Maybe if I'm still here next summer, and the colony is mature enough, I'll catch the nuptial flight I was hoping to maybe see this year.

[dspdrew]

Likely Pheidole moerens, or P. flavens according to Alex Wild.

[dspdrew]

This colony of Pheidole is still living out next to my porch apparently. Here's some new pictures of one of the majors I took with my microscope.