22 replies to this topic

[nurbs]

Definitely possible. I've seen F. subpolita queens from the Angeles Oaks (workers are usually all black or dark brown, queens browner) but they are much darker than the bright hues from the one on this post. They are also smaller. Subpolies aren't very large (about F. francoeuri queen size).

 

The one found on this thread was relatively large, it's also what is throwing me off. Here's is the inat observation. Literally exact same trail. Look at the elevation. Very high.

 

https://www.inatural...ations/29430032

 

 

There seem to be similar ones in the San Bernadino mountains. https://www.inatural...ations/29588113

That isn't it, however, a user on here found ones that were identical to yours in a similar location. My guess is that they are indeed subpolita, as they seem to be in incredibly variable species.

[NickAnter]

I have seen subpolita workers in the Eastern Sierra(by the shores of Lake Crowley) that had a bright red head and mesosoma, but the usual black gaster. Had I not already seen F. perpilosa I would have mistaken it for that species, however, these were nearly double that size. I'm curious as to what the queens would look like for that variant, must be interesting. Seems to me as if they don't seem to care too much about being uniform within the species.

 

And the elevation there is roughly 7,000 feet, so nowhere near as high as these were found. The habitat was also quite barren.

Edited by NickAnter, March 24 2021 - 7:20 AM.

[NPLT]

I think what you had might have been Formica neoclara

Edited by NPLT, April 4 2021 - 3:29 PM.