2 replies to this topic

[DinoH]

The question is AntWeb, AntMaps, or AntKeeping.info, wich is more acurate in showing the species native to my state?

 

AntMaps, and AntKeeping.info saydouble the amount of ant species are native to my area compared to AntWeb.

 

Who's more likely to be telling the truth? Can I trust any of them?

 

AntMaps says Pseudomyrmex ejectus and Trachymyrmex septentrionalis are native to Maryland and that would be super cool! But can I trust them?

[ReignofRage]

Antweb.org and Antcat.org both will tend be the most accurate sources you can use record-wise. However, Antweb does start to lack as you move away from states that have had and currently have extensive studies. Antmaps.org is wishwash; you can find good records, but also blatantly false records. For example, Antmaps.org lists both Pheidole rhea and Veromessor lobognathus as native to California. However, the P. rhea record is from a paper that was studying in Mexico and someone working for Antmaps.org apparently though Gulf of California, MX was in California. The Veromessor lobognathus record is from a paper that has a very clear list that does not include V. lobognathus for the California list. It also is not uncommon for Antmaps.org to list old synonymized or misidentified records.  Using each source individually is not how they should be used. Use them all in conjunction and fact-check records. Mixing in Inaturalist and your own surveying will lead to the most accuracy you could achieve.

[DinoH]

Antweb.org and Antcat.org both will tend be the most accurate sources you can use record-wise. However, Antweb does start to lack as you move away from states that have had and currently have extensive studies. Antmaps.org is wishwash; you can find good records, but also blatantly false records. For example, Antmaps.org lists both Pheidole rhea and Veromessor lobognathus as native to California. However, the P. rhea record is from a paper that was studying in Mexico and someone working for Antmaps.org apparently though Gulf of California, MX was in California. The Veromessor lobognathus record is from a paper that has a very clear list that does not include V. lobognathus for the California list. It also is not uncommon for Antmaps.org to list old synonymized or misidentified records.  Using each source individually is not how they should be used. Use them all in conjunction and fact-check records. Mixing in Inaturalist and your own surveying will lead to the most accuracy you could achieve.

Ok. The record of Pseudomyrmex ejectus was in Whashington D.C. and AntMaps says it's from AntWeb. I checked it and it was from AntWeb. The difference is that AntMaps sees Maryland and D.C. as the same state while AntWeb as two different states.

I use INaturalist just for uploading but thanks for the advice, for now on I will start to use INaturalist as a tool too.