21 replies to this topic

[Ferox_Formicae]

So there's already a cryptic ant spotting thread, so I'm going to make a spotting thread for arboreal ants. I have a feeling that not many people venture up into the trees to collect ants, but for those who do, you know how many cool ant species you can see. I have seen seven species of ants nesting in trees, Pseudomyrmex pallidus, Pseudomyrmex ejectus, Crematogaster ashmeadi, Linepithema humile, Solenopsis invicta, Camponotus nearcticus, and Colobopsis obliqua. As some of you may know, I am currently trying to collect a colony of Colobopsis obliqua. I have found three satellite nests so far, but I have not seen the main nest with the queen yet. It's a very large colony with hundreds and hundreds of members. What arboreal ant species do you guys find in your area?

[Rulkan]

I've been able to find Pseudomyrmex gracilis, Crematogaster, and a couple Odontomachus sp. that have made a nest in the palm trees in my front yard in South Florida.

Edited by Rulkan, November 16 2018 - 11:15 PM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I've been able to find Pseudomyrmex gracilis, Crematogaster, and a couple Odontomachus sp. that have made a nest in the palm trees in my front yard in South Florida.

Odontomachus? I had no idea they were arboreal, that's pretty neat. I'll have to be on he lookout for them when I go to the Florida Keys over the summer, along with Cephalotes varians.

[Leo]

Outside my grandma's house, there is a small tree, about 2-3 m in height, there is a small hole in the trunk and inside lives a colony of colobopsis. Also loads of crematogaster live at school. I have a colony of oecophylla smaragdina at home. 1 queen 40 workers or so. Loads of those at grandma's home and also school. occasional tetraponera and my personal favorite, paratopula bauhinia, I think I am the only one so far who has seen a queen of that species! Relatively new, discovered 3 years ago. The HK university only has worker specimens! I have a preserved queen currently.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Outside my grandma's house, there is a small tree, about 2-3 m in height, there is a small hole in the trunk and inside lives a colony of colobopsis. Also loads of crematogaster live at school. I have a colony of oecophylla smaragdina at home. 1 queen 40 workers or so. Loads of those at grandma's home and also school. occasional tetraponera and my personal favorite, paratopula bauhinia, I think I am the only one so far who has seen a queen of that species! Relatively new, discovered 3 years ago. The HK university only has worker specimens! I have a preserved queen currently.

 Oh wow! That's really neat! I would suggest that you get some good pictures of her from the anterior, dorsal, and profile and post them. Use a macro lens if you have one.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I collected a colony of Temnothorax curvispinosus from within a hollow twig of a Liquidambar styraciflua tree. I knew they were around here as I have seen them flying in the spring, but I didn't know where. I know now!

[Leo]

saw gesomyrmex and diblicondyla

[Ferox_Formicae]

I have forgotten to update this, but I have seen two Brachymyrmex patagonicus colonies, a medium sized colony of Colobopsis impressa, with a queen this time unlike with the Colobopsis obliqua colonies, and yesterday I found a small portion of a large colony of Camponotus snellingi in a branch that had fallen out of pine tree. It was the first time I had seen their majors. It was of course a queenless portion sadly.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I found another colony of Colobopsis obliqua inside of a Coronus florida branch, but it wasn't a hollow twig, it was a small branch full of burrows from beetles. All of the nests I've seen were most likely made by them, or maybe Colobopsis mississippiensis as nearly all of the nests  inside of the twigs of Fraxinus americana, the only plant they are known to nest in. The other nest was inside of a hollow Quercus nigra branch, probably hollowed out by Pseudomyrmex ejectus as those are the ants that dominate that tree. Every single one of these nests have been satellite nests, and this one was sadly no exception. Maybe next time.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Found the main nest! The queen is looking nice and promising and I have high hopes for them.

[TennesseeAnts]

Time to revive this! last night there was a huge flight of Colobopsis and Pheidole! I got 3 Pheidole queens, (bicarinata and tysoni) 2 Colobopsis obliqua queens, and 1 Colobopsis impressa queen! There should be some more of these flying tonight.

[VoidElecent]

I would add Temnothorax

[ponerinecat]

I found pseudomyrmex apache

[ponerinecat]

[TennesseeAnts]

I found some Crematogaster lineolata queens last week. Today I found two colonies of Temnothorax. One Temnothorax curvispinosus and one Temnothorax ambiguus.

[ponerinecat]

Do temnothorax count? or only some species?

[TennesseeAnts]

Most I've seen have been arboreal. So yeah.

[ponerinecat]

Huh, I always see them on the ground or in leaf litter.

[TennesseeAnts]

Huh. Weird. Maybe what your are seeing are Leptothorax?

[ponerinecat]

Nope. I've seen leptothorax before, they like fallen logs.