10 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

5-30-2015
 
I found this Camponotus hyatti queen on a tree around 10:00 PM 5-28-2015, in Mt. Baldy, California. It was relatively warm out that day, with no recent rain.
 
1. Location of collection:  Ice House Canyon, Mt. Baldy, California.
2. Date of collection: 5-28-2015.
3. Habitat of collection:  Pine/Oak Forest.
4. Length (from head to gaster):  12mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture:  Black head, red and black thorax, black gaster, and redish-orange legs.
 

[dspdrew]

Update 7-11-2015
 
This queen got her first workers about a week ago.
 

[Miles]

I have one of these too. Gotta be one of my favorite native species!

[dspdrew]

Yeah? I've never found more than just one or two of these little Myrmentoma species at a time before. Their majors are really cool looking. They have such large heads for how small they are.

[Miles]

Yeah. They are very sparsely distributed ants - never seem to be at the top of the food chain. I think they're gorgeous little things. Shiny and deep red colors.

[dspdrew]

Update 7-24-2015
 
The other day I check on this colony, and found all the workers dead and ripped to pieces. I'm not exactly sure what happened.

[William. T]

Is the queen fine?

[dspdrew]

Last I checked, yes.

[dspdrew]

Update 7-27-2015
 
I found the queen dead yesterday.

[Mettcollsuss]

These ants look EXACTLY the same as my Camponotus nearcticus colony. If these ants were native to Illinois, I'd be sure that that's what mine was. When I first saw these ants, I started doubting the ID of my colony until I googled where they were native to. 

 

I still can't get over how alike these species look. Mine actually look more like C. hyatti than C. nearcticus, as my queen didn't have the super elongated abdomen that is usually present, and the worker had the same diluted orange color as yours.

[Jadeninja9]

Maybe I'll copy and paste my journal from AntsCanada and put in on here when I take them out of hibernation. They have around 30 workers.