12 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

1. Location of collection: Angelus Oaks, CA
2. Date of collection: 6-13-2015, 2130
3. Habitat of collection: Piney
4. Length (from head to gaster):  ~20mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture:  Black, glossy
 

Found this queen wandering across a dirt road I was checking out. Nothing else flying or out that I could find. Camponotus quercicola?

 

[Foogoo]

Bump. Would C. vicinus be all black?

[dspdrew]

It sure would. Most of them in that area are all black. C. quercicola are obviously up there since I found one queen this year, but I have never seen a C. quercicola worker there before that I know of, so I'm not sure how abundant they are. There's not a whole lot of Live Oak up there, which I think they commonly live in. I also rarely find C. quercicola or C. laevigatus on the ground, as they are almost always walking around on trees, where they live. I would bet anything that is an all-black C. vicinus. Look closely at the clypeus, and see if you notice a ridge down the center. If you do, then it is C. vicinus.

[nurbs]

It sure would. Most of them in that area are all black. C. quercicola are obviously up there since I found one queen this year, but I have never seen a C. quercicola worker there before that I know of, so I'm not sure how abundant they are. There's not a whole lot of Live Oak up there, which I think they commonly live in. I also rarely find C. quercicola or C. laevigatus on the ground, as they are almost always walking around on trees, where they live. I would bet anything that is an all-black C. vicinus. Look closely at the clypeus, and see if you notice a ridge down the center. If you do, then it is C. vicinus.

 

I am jealous of your coca cola man.

 

I wonder if I can find one now going up the Azusa canyon. I've seen lots of workers in the oak trees.

[Foogoo]

I'll take a closer look tonight. Howcome some of these pictures of C. vicinus don't appear to have the clypeal ridge?

[dspdrew]

I'll take a closer look tonight. Howcome some of these pictures of C. vicinus don't appear to have the clypeal ridge?

 

The clypeal carina is as plain as day. Are you sure you are looking at the right thing? If these were of the Camponotus subgenus, the clypeus would be smooth and flat.

 

[Foogoo]

Is the carina the "line" down the clypeus that's apparent here?

[dspdrew]

Yes. It's also not as well developed on Camponotus queens as it is on majors.

[Foogoo]

Any better luck with ID now that the first worker has eclosed? As far as I'm concerned, I have no clue if it's vicinus, quercicola, or laevigatus.

 

[LC3]

C.laevigatus have white hairs on their abdomen,that's all I know.

[nurbs]

Any better luck with ID now that the first worker has eclosed? As far as I'm concerned, I have no clue if it's vicinus, quercicola, or laevigatus.

 

 

It is C. vicinus Foogoo. Coca colas don't have a lot of hair on their heads and thorax. Another telling sign is that her head is not very wide relative to her thorax. All the laevigatus and quercicolas queens I have seen have a wider head vs their thorax.

[Foogoo]

 

Any better luck with ID now that the first worker has eclosed? As far as I'm concerned, I have no clue if it's vicinus, quercicola, or laevigatus.

 

 

It is C. vicinus Foogoo. Coca colas don't have a lot of hair on their heads and thorax. Another telling sign is that her head is not very wide relative to her thorax. All the laevigatus and quercicolas queens I have seen have a wider head vs their thorax.

 

Great, thanks! I hadn't even noticed the hair until you mentioned it.

[dspdrew]

 

Any better luck with ID now that the first worker has eclosed? As far as I'm concerned, I have no clue if it's vicinus, quercicola, or laevigatus.

 

 

It is C. vicinus Foogoo. Coca colas don't have a lot of hair on their heads and thorax. Another telling sign is that her head is not very wide relative to her thorax. All the laevigatus and quercicolas queens I have seen have a wider head vs their thorax.

 

 

Coca-colas.

 

I completely agree.