21 replies to this topic

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Here is a thread to post all the interesting things you have observed about various species of ants that don't seem to be documented elsewhere. I'll start: Camponotus novaeboracensis nests in soil, Formica pallidefulva doesn't usually spin cocoons, even in the wild, Crematogaster forms the longest and best defined trails I have seen from any ant other than Tapinoma sessile, Dolichoderus is extremely common in far northern Wisconsin, Formica montana forms massive supercolonies with perhaps dozens of queens, Myrmica cf. punctiventris does a jittery Opisthopsis-like walk sometimes when threatened, and is also very good at playing dead, staying still even when poked. Camponotus pennsylvanicus will rip up moss for the purpose of building nest entrances, even when other materials are present and more easily accessible. I am also surprised at how tolerant ants are underground; different species will nest in what is essentially the same spot, apparently without fighting. I don't know how interesting this really is, but the other day I saw a Prenolepis nest entrance for the first time; it looked like they were digging out after having been sealing off for their summer dormancy.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 15 2019 - 12:35 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Camponotus nearcticus get majors fairly early in colony development. My 11 worker colony has 4-5 major larvae.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

My best guess about C. novaeboracensis is that they are "amphibious", sometimes living in strait up dirt, sometimes in wood, and often in mixed areas such as under a piece of particle board or in mulch. Would be cool to start calling it the subterranean carpenter ant rather than the red and black carpenter ant as it is usually called. This realization also solves the mystery of where that colony at the park is living. Now I wonder if this weird nesting habit helps them avoid competition with C. pennsylvanicus.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 15 2019 - 1:34 PM.

[Canadian anter]

A very large number of Camponotus species do that.

[ANTdrew]

I’ve carefully documented the reliance of Crematogaster on NATIVE plants for aphid tending in my native plants journal.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

A very large number of Camponotus species do that.

Which ones?

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I’ve carefully documented the reliance of Crematogaster on NATIVE plants for aphid tending in my native plants journal.

Maybe that explains why they aren't as ubiquitous as other ants.

[NickAnter]

Hypopnera readily forages above ground in the wild, in mornings and evenings. Also, Tetramorium immigrans are in Orange County.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Pheidole carrolii lives in both Georgia and South Carolina, Strumigenys silvestrii lives in South Carolina, Camponotus sexguttatus lives in the Florida Keys, Cyphomyrmex rimosus lives as far north as Columbia, South Carolina, Strumigenys louisianae often nest around termite colonies, sometimes under the same rock, Strumigenys membranifera has become the most common Strumigenys in the state of South Carolina, Strumigenys louisianae only become aggressive once their colony has reached a certain size, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis would rather take rose petals as fungus substrate than caterpillar frass, Camponotus americanus is often forced out by the more common Camponotus castaneus in central South Carolina, Temnothorax curvispinosus are occasionally arboreal, and Formica pallidefulva are mostly polygynous when other queens are around, but can also be pleometrotic.

[ponerinecat]

Hypoponera are partly scavengers

[ponerinecat]

Hyoponera opaciceps nests in wide shallow tunnel systems, and Hypoponera forage mostly at dusk and night.

[OhNoNotAgain]

That obnoxious Linepithema humile, the Argentine ant, can learn successively over several years that orange oil repellant is not to be feared. Years ago a good application of orange oil spray would keep them away for 2+ weeks at a stretch. Last couple years fresh applications of same brand of orange oil have been so ignored we've resorted to Raid. I'm amazed at the colony's ability to learn even when individuals don't survive that long.

[ponerinecat]

Some ants like pheidole and solenopsis molesta live near the nests of linepithma humile successfully, and many cryptic and populations are undamaged by infestations of linepithma.

[AnthonyP163]

I've found some interesting Lasius in Reedsburg, which is where Brachyponera chinensis has been reported.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=p4tV9IP-uhc

[BeginnerAntKeeper]

I’ve seen colour morphs of Carebara Diversa of varying amounts of red and darker-than-usual Pheidole Parva.

[NickAnter]

Also, Pheidole navigans tends root aphids, and Nylanderia vividula seem to only survive argentine ants by being fast enough to avoid them.

[ANTdrew]

Tapinoma sessile will walk across water to get to a desirable food source.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Strumigenys membranifera are often found living alongside the two snap-jaw species S. louisianae and S. silvestrii.

[Manitobant]

I’ve seen colour morphs of Carebara Diversa of varying amounts of red and darker-than-usual Pheidole Parva.

those red carebara diversa are probably carebara affinis. They are very similar and its easy to get the two confused.

[Manitobant]

Formica Montana will accept queens back into the nest after nuptial flights, brachymyrmex depilis often live right next to another ant species, polyergus mexicanus are able to hunt and kill prey insects, tetramorium immigrans are in manitoba, dolichoderus pustulatus queens will parasitize dolichoderus taschenbergi colonies, myrmica queens of different species will not attack each other until after hibernation when they start colonies, and formica pergandei will sometimes drop off new queens in slave raids similar to polyergus.

Edited by Manitobant, September 16 2019 - 10:58 AM.