10 replies to this topic

[Tai_pan1]

I picked up several of these last night while looking for a different species, and I am hoping to get an id.  My guess is Tapinoma sessile, but that is purely a guess.

 

They are approximately 4 to 4.5mm, almost non existent petiole, redish brown head and thorax with a black gaster.  The gaster has some faint yellow lines.   Eyes are spread to the outside of the head.

 

They were caught in a suburban back yard about 45 minutes after sunset using a black light.

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[OiledOlives]

Pheidole queens.

[Antkeeper01]

I second this

[Tai_pan1]

So Mississippi State University entomology page lists 10 species of pheidole in South Carolina.  Would the care generally be the same?  I see two care sheets for Pheidole on the forum.  If I follow these should I be ok?

[ANTdrew]

Infinitely cooler than Tapinoma.

[Tai_pan1]

Infinitely cooler than Tapinoma.

I hope so.  

[OiledOlives]

So Mississippi State University entomology page lists 10 species of pheidole in South Carolina.  Would the care generally be the same?  I see two care sheets for Pheidole on the forum.  If I follow these should I be ok?

Generally the same for all of them, yeah. The species you have is a generalist so as long as you feed sugars and protein after founding, it should grow very well. 
time collected rules out P. tysoni, it's not any fallax-group queen which rules out morrisii and dentata, and I'm sure someone more experienced in SE US Pheidole could get it down to a couple species.

[Tai_pan1]

 

So Mississippi State University entomology page lists 10 species of pheidole in South Carolina.  Would the care generally be the same?  I see two care sheets for Pheidole on the forum.  If I follow these should I be ok?

Generally the same for all of them, yeah. The species you have is a generalist so as long as you feed sugars and protein after founding, it should grow very well. 
time collected rules out P. tysoni, it's not any fallax-group queen which rules out morrisii and dentata, and I'm sure someone more experienced in SE US Pheidole could get it down to a couple species.

 

Strictly looking at pictures I could find online, I was thinking dentata or metallescens.  Why did you rule out dentata?  What is a fallacy group queen?  Trying to build my knowledge base a little.

[Tai_pan1]

Disregard, I found “Pheidole in the New World” on Antwiki.  I have some serious reading and learning to do.

[Aaron567]

It is probably either Pheidole bicarinata or P. metallescens judging by color, size, and overall body shape.

[AntsCali098]

It is probably either Pheidole bicarinata or P. metallescens judging by color, size, and overall body shape.

Agreed. All I can find here that is pheidole is navigans for some reason, but these definitely look like pheidole. Might need a bit better pics to confirm the specific species.