17 replies to this topic

[Bobblehead27]

I just moved to Houston Texas from NY and went outside and saw a bunch of these ants bustling around my tree in a mound that didn't exist last summer. I believe they're fire ants but I've never actually seen any in real life before.

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[Kaelwizard]

I can't tell as I'm unable to zoom in. We would need pictures that are more up close. A more experienced keeper might be more help.

[Manitobant]

Definitely fire ants. They're super common over there.


Also is that a queen in the photo?

Edited by Manitobant, January 8 2021 - 12:08 PM.

[Vendayn]

That is indeed a queen in the photo.

[Bobblehead27]

That is indeed a queen in the photo.

I thought so, but wasn't sure.
What's confusing me is that it's the middle of winter and there were some elates around. Aren't fire ant nuptial flights in summer?

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[CheetoLord02]

Solenopsis invicta are notorious for flying like, all the time. However the first picture looks like a dealate... it's possible you uncovered a smaller colony who's fertile queen was warming up near the surface. That, or you could have the polygynous variant in your area, which would also explain the presence of a dealate queen so close to the surface.

[TennesseeAnts]

The polygynous strain sucks. If I had to choose, I'd always choose the monogyne strain. Smaller colonies, more impressive majors, colonies live only like 7 years...

[Vendayn]

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

[TennesseeAnts]

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

Here in Tennessee we also predominantly have the poly variant, unfortunately. We also have the infra-hybrid S. invicta x richteri.

[Vendayn]

 

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

Here in Tennessee we also predominantly have the poly variant, unfortunately. We also have the infra-hybrid S. invicta x richteri.

 

Is the hybrid any special at all besides being a hybrid? Unique behavior or anything? I looked a year or two back, but was hard to really find any info on them. I think the color might be kinda unique? But not sure outside that.

[ponerinecat]

 

 

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

Here in Tennessee we also predominantly have the poly variant, unfortunately. We also have the infra-hybrid S. invicta x richteri.

 

Is the hybrid any special at all besides being a hybrid? Unique behavior or anything? I looked a year or two back, but was hard to really find any info on them. I think the color might be kinda unique? But not sure outside that.

 

The hybrid behaves like any other fire ant, nothing special there. It mostly just has some rather beautiful colors.

[TennesseeAnts]

 

 

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

Here in Tennessee we also predominantly have the poly variant, unfortunately. We also have the infra-hybrid S. invicta x richteri.

 

Is the hybrid any special at all besides being a hybrid? Unique behavior or anything? I looked a year or two back, but was hard to really find any info on them. I think the color might be kinda unique? But not sure outside that.

 

Yeah, its really just a cool color.

[Vendayn]

fair enough. The color is pretty cool, doesn't need to be more special than that sometimes lol. Though sad its an invasive ant combo that made the color.

[Antkeeper01]

 

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

Here in Tennessee we also predominantly have the poly variant, unfortunately. We also have the infra-hybrid S. invicta x richteri.

 

would that make it semi-invasive?

[TennesseeAnts]

 

 

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

Here in Tennessee we also predominantly have the poly variant, unfortunately. We also have the infra-hybrid S. invicta x richteri.

 

would that make it semi-invasive?

 

I'm not actually sure. I believe they would actually be native, though.

[gcsnelling]

 

 

 

Considering he is in houston texas, the chance of them being poly is pretty high. Though maybe not. Considering however the size of the queen, its more likely they are poly because the poly variety tend to have smaller queens. The mono variety, the queens are pretty decent sized.

 

Here in orange county CA, locally here we got the poly variety. They aren't really widespread though, the Argentine ants keep them in check. Who knows of the future though.

Here in Tennessee we also predominantly have the poly variant, unfortunately. We also have the infra-hybrid S. invicta x richteri.

 

would that make it semi-invasive?

 

I'm not actually sure. I believe they would actually be native, though.

 

 Why would they be native? Neither of the parent species are native to the U. S.

[Aaron567]

S. richteri is still invasive, though invicta is even more invasive so they largely outcompeted richteri when they arrived (richteri was introduced earlier and was more widespread in the US before invicta's conquest). The hybrids are practically just darker, northern invicta, probably not any less invasive. They're everywhere in northern Alabama and Georgia.

[Manitobant]

Richteri is much cooler than invicta, though quite rare because of hybridization and displacement by invicta.