10 replies to this topic

[Spazmops]

Caught these along the edge of a canal with Devi
7-8 mm

Plains habitat

Nuptial flight at 4:00 pm

Red with extremely skinny waist

Drones are black with red gaster

Are they fully claustral?

Can there be colonies with multiple queens?

Thanks for your help!

[Devi]

It looks like solenopsis, but I did the sting test and they definetly didn't sting...  I thought maybe some sort of camponotus, but I think the head and coloring looks a lot different. Maybe Pheidole?  It doesn't really look like that though, definetly more red than it looks in the picture.

Edited by Devi, July 27 2020 - 2:57 PM.

[ponerinecat]

It looks like solenopsis, but I did the sting test and they definetly didn't sting...  I thought maybe some sort of camponotus, but I think the head and coloring looks a lot different. Maybe Pheidole?  It doesn't really look like that though, definetly more red than it looks in the picture.

Be glad they didn't sting you, these have the most potent venom of all ants    They're in the genus Pogonomyrmex. And a word of advice for future IDs, try to not rely on color so much. Pheidole are the most diverse genus of ants and they can't be IDed with just color. 

[ponerinecat]

You can put them into groups, but it not all of them may survive. Most Pogonomyrmex are just pleometric if I recall, not truly polygynous. The genus does better if provided with seeds during founding, they are a grainivourus genus that will also love any insects you give them.

[RushmoreAnts]

 

It looks like solenopsis, but I did the sting test and they definetly didn't sting...  I thought maybe some sort of camponotus, but I think the head and coloring looks a lot different. Maybe Pheidole?  It doesn't really look like that though, definetly more red than it looks in the picture.

Be glad they didn't sting you, these have the most potent venom of all ants    They're in the genus Pogonomyrmex. And a word of advice for future IDs, try to not rely on color so much. Pheidole are the most diverse genus of ants and they can't be IDed with just color. 

 

I second this.

 

You can put them into groups, but it not all of them may survive. Most Pogonomyrmex are just pleometric if I recall, not truly polygynous. The genus does better if provided with seeds during founding, they are a grainivourus genus that will also love any insects you give them.

Some species, like subnitidus, are polygynous.

[Antkid12]

 

It looks like solenopsis, but I did the sting test and they definetly didn't sting...  I thought maybe some sort of camponotus, but I think the head and coloring looks a lot different. Maybe Pheidole?  It doesn't really look like that though, definetly more red than it looks in the picture.

Be glad they didn't sting you, these have the most potent venom of all ants    They're in the genus Pogonomyrmex. And a word of advice for future IDs, try to not rely on color so much. Pheidole are the most diverse genus of ants and they can't be IDed with just color. 

 

I third this.

[Spazmops]

Thank you guys! They look like they could be closely related to pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Edited by Spazmops, July 27 2020 - 3:31 PM.

[Devi]

Thanks guys!  Appreciate the help.

[Antkid12]

Thanks guys!  Appreciate the help.

Do you have two accounts on the forum?

[Spazmops]

 

Thanks guys!  Appreciate the help.

Do you have two accounts on the forum?

 

I do not. That’s my friend Devi, he was anting with me and caught quite a few ants himself. We decided I should make the post though because we didn’t need two.

[Antkid12]

Oh, ok.