30 replies to this topic

[gcsnelling]

S. invicta is quite common in Palm Springs, provided there is any kind of yard watering going on. Mound size is pretty irrelevant for making an Id as all mounds I have seen in that area are fairly low. I have never seen dark S. xyloni anywhere in the California deserts.

[Manitobant]

S. invicta is quite common in Palm Springs, provided there is any kind of yard watering going on. Mound size is pretty irrelevant for making an Id as all mounds I have seen in that area are fairly low. I have never seen dark S. xyloni anywhere in the California deserts.

if she is invicta I will kill her immediately. I don’t want to break the law, especially as a guest to the country (I’m Canadian)

Edited by Manitobant, January 1 2019 - 11:18 AM.

[Manitobant]

I lifted a tiny stone and found what appears to be brachymyrmex. If anyone could properly ID them it would be appreciated. I’m pretty sure they are not tapinoma sessile since the nest or test tube doesn’t stink like it does in my area when I catch them. Here is the image:http://www.formicult...5-f283012dfdbe/

[Manitobant]

I found another queen which i am almost certain is xyloni. I found her while hiking at Indian canyons and she will be included in my solenopsis xyloni journal. Here is queen #2:http://www.formicult...0190102-171835/

Edited by Manitobant, January 2 2019 - 5:28 PM.

[Manitobant]

I am leaving tommorow and it turns out we are not going to joshua tree national park because of the news about it and the shutdown. We will be heading to the salton sea for the day and i hope to see some last minute ants. I would also like to note that i did come across myrmecocystus semirufus earlier in the week but i don't have photos. I will be doing a complete list of my finds tomorrow. I also have some exciting news to reveal...

[Manitobant]

After the salton sea we went to the Santa Rosa and san Jacinto Mountains national monument for some hiking and I came across some workers of solenopsis xyloni instead of a Queen. Here is a photo:http://www.formicult...0190105-143040/and also a yellow aphaenogaster species which I need an ID for. If anyone could help me here is the
photo:http://www.formicult...0190105-165847/

Edited by Manitobant, January 5 2019 - 5:15 PM.

[gcsnelling]

If it is quite small and yellowish it is probably a Pheidole species.There are a couple of species in California which have Aphaenogaster like minors.

[Manitobant]

If it is quite small and yellowish it is probably a Pheidole species.There are a couple of species in California which have Aphaenogaster like minors.

thanks dr. Snelling! This ant has now been identified as pheidole desertorum!

[Manitobant]

Ok guys, this trip is now over as i am currently sitting in the airport. It was overall sucessful and i came across a lot of different ants. Here is the full list:

Dorymyrmex bicolor

Veromessor pergandei

Solenopsis invicta

Solenopsis xyloni

Pogonomyrmex californicus

Myrmecocystus semirufus

Brachymyrmex sp.

Pheidole sp. (Tiny ant with white gaster is probably a pheidole minor)

Pheidole desertorum

And that's it! But i do have some very exciting news which is that i will be heading with my parents and siblings to florida in march and i will be doing even more ant hunting. I will make that thread in the near future.

[gcsnelling]

Where did the Ph. desertorum Id come from?

[Manitobant]

Where did the Ph. desertorum Id come from?

I don’t know if I’m right about it but the habitat and behaviours (fast movement multiple nests etc) of these ants fit consistently with desertorum. They also have that noticeable black stripe on the gaster which I have a few pictures of but I didn’t post since they were blurry.