9 replies to this topic

[RushmoreAnts]

Location of collection: South Dakota

Date of Capture: April 26th, 2020

 

Location of collection: South Dakota

Date of collection: April 26th, 2020 (irrelevant, as this was a colony, not a dealate queen)

Habitat of collection: Lightly forested area, primarily deciduous trees, collected under a rock, many open fields nearby, within blocks from a suburban environment

Length: (workers) 4-6 mm

Coloration: Dark red to black, young workers have bright red mesosomas 

Distinguishing characteristics:

Anything else distinctive:

Nest description: Shallow, under a stone (typical of Myrmica)

Nuptial flight time and date: 

 

This is the only clear(ish) shot I could get:

 

 

 

My guess would be M. americana, but I thought I'd check with you guys.

[TheMicroPlanet]

I wonder if what I think is Aphaenogaster in my yard could actually be Myrmica... this looks somewhat like it.

[Manitobant]

Looks like myrmica incompleta to me. The workers of Americana are much darker. The size also fits with incompleta as their workers are quite large for myrmica.

[RushmoreAnts]

Workers also vary in size, as LC3 pointed out in his journal:

 

 

 

This species is also clearly polymorphic compared to other Myrmica species I've come across.  Workers collected during a trip on March 28 from 2 locations around less then a kilometer apart and foraging on the trail ranged <.3.5mm at their smallest (spread out) and ~6mm at their largest (spread out). I think this is the largest worker I've ever found of the species, en average the workers are anywhere from 3.5mm to 5.5mm with most being around 4.5-5mm. Workers varied in hue from black to dark red for the head and gaster, coupled with the dark red to red or orange mesosoma meant that workers were either bicoloured with a dark head and gaster + red to orange mesosoma or a concoloures reddish colour. 

My workers also vary in size. The coloration also matches.

 

 

This also matches mine:

Compared to the M. specioides these queens are much less skittish and also lay eggs readily, they also don't mind the light all too much.

I never cover mine up, and the queens constantly pump out eggs.

[gcsnelling]

If it is Myrmica at all good luck with an accurate Id esp based on a photograph. Myrmica sp. is as far as you can realistically go.

[PurdueEntomology]

If it is Myrmica at all good luck with an accurate Id esp based on a photograph. Myrmica sp. is as far as you can realistically go.

I agree, I had to use a key and a scope to key out my colony of Myrmica punctiventris.  I suppose these young people have telescopic eyes....

[gcsnelling]

 

If it is Myrmica at all good luck with an accurate Id esp based on a photograph. Myrmica sp. is as far as you can realistically go.

I agree, I had to use a key and a scope to key out my colony of Myrmica punctiventris.  I suppose these young people have telescopic eyes....

 

 

I have often had that suspicion myself.

[RushmoreAnts]

If it is Myrmica at all good luck with an accurate Id esp based on a photograph. Myrmica sp. is as far as you can realistically go.

I figured that. That's why I haven't posted an ID request until now. I've heard certain species can't be identified without a genetic analysis. However, I didn't see any harm in getting a second opinion.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

 

If it is Myrmica at all good luck with an accurate Id esp based on a photograph. Myrmica sp. is as far as you can realistically go.

I agree, I had to use a key and a scope to key out my colony of Myrmica punctiventris.  I suppose these young people have telescopic eyes....

 

Yeah, luckily I had some dead workers on hand so I could identify mine. M. punctiventris (which is what mine are as well) is a pretty distinctive species for a Myrmica too; if mine had been, say, M. fracticornis, I don't know if I would have done so well even with the microscope.

[jushi]

I wonder if what I think is Aphaenogaster in my yard could actually be Myrmica... this looks somewhat like it.

 

...sting test maybe?