10 replies to this topic

[Jean]

I think this is a queen...but I cannot ID her.

 

Found: Tucson, AZ

9am, wandering across asphalt

 

Description:

black head, red to honey colored body, gaster half reddish then tapering to black

antennae are long, black with the last segment in red

small, round black eyes

3/8 to 7/16ths inches long

 

No ant mound nearby. 'Hood is crawling with Forelius, but we also have acromyrmex, novomessor & myrmecocystus

 

Very active, not interested in water or anything else but escaping.

 

**I am working on better pics**

Album: Queen?

3 images

0 comments

 

[TennesseeAnts]

Camponotus americanus worker.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, May 1 2019 - 10:35 AM.

[Jean]

OK, the closest pics I can find of the ant I have are a Banded Sugar Ant, so this could be a worker....

[Jean]

Thanks AntDude. The more I looked at her, the more she didn't look like a queen 

Have no idea where there are colonies of Camponotus near me but since they are abundant from what I've read, am not surprised.

[gcsnelling]

Camponotus americanus worker.

 

Not in Arizona it isn't

[TennesseeAnts]

Could we get a photo of the ant from the top down?

Camponotus americanus worker.

 
Not in Arizona it isn't

I thought they were native to AZ.

[gcsnelling]

Not according to antweb.

[TennesseeAnts]

Well, I have found AntWeb to be incomplete at times.

[Jean]

Antweb says no but other sources say yes! I checked with my ant FB group and got several folks saying, "Americanus" - and after looking at the ant it does look like an Americanus! There isn't any other species (it's definitely Camponotus) that this looks like. Of course, I tend to doubt my speculations on account of thinking it was a Queen LOL. Hopefully I can find the colony or colonies.

[AntsBC]

 

Camponotus americanus worker.

 

Not in Arizona it isn't

 

 

Antmaps.org, the most reliable species-range site out there actually lists Camponotus americanus to be native to Arizona.

 

http://antmaps.org/?...otus.americanus

 

Try not to soley rely on Antweb for species-range lists, as they can often be found distributing inaccurate information.

 

In conclusion, Camponotus americanus is indeed native to Arizona, concluding that this worker is indeed Camponotus americanus.

Edited by AntsBC, May 2 2019 - 12:34 PM.

[gcsnelling]

I have corrected plenty of records on antmaps as well, so they are as prone to mistakes as antweb. Without knowing who made the Identifications of the record (s) they list I remain skeptical.

Edited by gcsnelling, May 3 2019 - 2:18 AM.