20 replies to this topic

[Bashland]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Trabuco Canyon, Orange County, CA
2. Date of collection: June 21, 2021
3. Habitat of collection: oaky forest near tiny creek in canyon
4. Length (from head to gaster): unknown, guess about 10mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: reddish head and thorax, black gaster with lighter stripes, lower half of gaster looks swollen to show lighter color around black segments. I believe they have two petioles.
6. Distinguishing characteristics:
7. Distinguishing behavior: trying to escape test tube
8. Nest description: unknown
9. Nuptial flight time and date: June 21, 2021 between 830p and 9p

Found these queens with a black light. They flew onto a white sheet. I was hoping for camponotus or liometopum, but I am guessing this is solenopsis invicta?

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[Bashland]

These are the first queen ants I’ve ever caught.

[SYUTEO]

Solenopsis sp

[KadinB]

looks like solenopsis xyloni 

[dspdrew]

Looks like Solenopsis invicta. I have never once seen a S. invicta in that Canyon before.

[Manitobant]

Looks like Solenopsis invicta. I have never once seen a S. invicta in that Canyon before.

looks more like xyloni to me. The orange is much more pronounced, although its hard to see with these bad pics.

[Bashland]

Looks like Solenopsis invicta. I have never once seen a S. invicta in that Canyon before.

looks more like xyloni to me. The orange is much more pronounced, although its hard to see with these bad pics.

Sorry about the bad pics. Any tips for getting better pics? This was my first time trying to photograph ants.

[PetsNotPests]

The pics are fine, you've got S. Xyloni there. And hey, are you using Legos as test tube racks?! Best idea of the year 

[Antkeeper01]

The pics are fine, you've got S. Xyloni there. And hey, are you using Legos as test tube racks?! Best idea of the year 

i was about to ask that lol

[Kaelwizard]

These pictures are a lot better than a lot of the stuff people try to get IDs with.

[dspdrew]

i must be seeing the coloring wrong or something. They look almost completely black on my screen. S. xyloni would make MUCH more sense.

[KadinB]

On the second picture you can see a lot of orange on the bottom of that queen which is a good way of telling if they are xyloni or not. Just with a lot of orange. I have seen both invicta queens and xyloni queens in person. Invicta are just dark red and black. Xyloni have red, orange and black on them and the orange color is very visible.

As seen in this picture (xyloni)



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[NickAnter]

I'm not sure. They do look a lot like invicta to me, with the dark coloration. xyloni is quite likely as well though, might just be the lighting.

Edited by NickAnter, June 22 2021 - 2:29 PM.

[Bashland]

Thanks everyone!  I will try to get a better picture.  Maybe from the side so I'm not covering it in shadow.  

[gcsnelling]

More light is the key. I have heard rumors of S. invicta in that area.

[Bashland]

Here are some photos I just too in the sunlight. The first is more along the shade of red she is to the naked eye, a darker red, but she does glow lighter in the direct light. Is the shade of red the only distinguishing characteristic between Invicta and xyloni?

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[NickAnter]

Solenopsis xyloni.

[yaboiseth]

Definitely Xyloni, and from what I know, yes the coloration is the main distinguishable feature between xyloni and invicta.

[NickAnter]

It's actually a small third "tooth" on the clypeus, present in invicta, but coloration is generally enough.

[dspdrew]

Yeah, clearly S. xyloni now. You will find those more than anything else out there.