We're back to ask for help again in identifying some ants.
We found quite a menagerie of ants on my friend's front patio/driveway today. We spent the day there and found at least six different species of ant wandering across the concrete.
We found two species that I didn't feel I could identify on my own. Here is one of those.
I believe this is a Formica species. I think I've been correct with my predictions about 1 in 10 so far.
FIRST-Where collected? United States in Franktown, Colorado (southeast of Denver on the Palmer Divide at about 6350 feet).
SECOND-Habitat of collection? On a concrete patio in front of the house on a pretty much treeless prairie hill. The area is surrounded by Ponderosa Pine forest though.
THIRD-Coloration, hue and pattern? Black gaster. Orange/red head and mesosoma. Very dark limbs and mandibles.
FOURTH-Distinguishing characteristics? Single segment in waist, which is tall and wedge shaped. Heart shaped head narrower than the gaster. Mid size, black eyes. They are wide-spread, on edges of the head. They seem just to barely touch the outline of the head. Short faint vertical features run up from the antenna on the face. A few light colored standing hairs throughout. Flattened scapes. Some teeth on the mandibles, but they don't seem terribly well defined. Once again, referring to the Myrmecos post I recently read about telling the difference between Formica and Camponotus, is informing my prediction. I think I count eleven antenna segments, but I always struggle with the tips. Three dot pattern on top of the head.
FIFTH-Length in millimeters? 7.5 mm in length.
SIXTH-Anything else distinctive? Decent climber. Somewhat fast gait. Fairly docile. Somewhat fast jerky movements like Insanus.
Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/O4d05
Thanks, as always, for your assistance.
Tory Netherton
Edited by Telarian, July 26 2015 - 6:34 AM.
