55 replies to this topic

[nurbs]

The designation "Camponotus CA02" has unfortunately been removed from Antweb, so don't know what is up with that. They haven't officially been described or studied, hence the name (CA02, California 02).

 

EDIT: Antweb changed the designation to Camponotus us-ca02

https://www.antweb.o...species=us-ca02

 

This species appears to be endemic to the southern hilly parts of CA, found as low as 1000ft of elevation. They are huge, leggy, and known for their massive dark head majors and red head colored minors. Drew first noticed them years ago and assumed they may be C. ocreatus, but I never agreed with that and assumed they were C. vicinus as I had never seen them in person. A few years back I went to his area and saw them, and they definitely weren't C. vicinus! This species does not occur in the San Gabriel mountains near where I live, but can be found in the Santa Ana mountains near Drew's neck of the woods. Trabuco Canyon is part of the Santa Ana mountains and this is where he has seen them foraging at night.

 

We've never been able to ascertain when they fly, but this year I've been watching the weather like a hawk, and whenever it warmed up even just a tad, I thought about heading there. It is about 2 hour drive from where I live with traffic, so it's always a gamble.

 

Last night, on the eve of April Fools, I found them!!! 

 

Not sure when they flew exactly because I found some dead dried queens as well, so it could have been a few weeks earlier. They weren't easy to find either. Got 10 dealate queens in about 4.5 hours of searching.

 

 

 

Size comparison next to C. vicinus, which were also found that night.

 

 

 

 

Found ten. Should I make a journal? This will be a species first for this forum

 

 

Edited by nurbs, May 17 2021 - 3:09 PM.

[nurbs]

Youtube video

 

[Subverted]

It is still on antweb... https://www.antweb.o...species=us-ca02

Edited by Subverted, April 1 2019 - 1:54 PM.

[nurbs]

It is still on antweb... https://www.antweb.o...species=us-ca02

 

 

Nice! The original link has been taken down. If you go to California, it is not officially listed. 

 

EDIT: Looks like they changed it to us-ca02

Edited by nurbs, April 1 2019 - 2:02 PM.

[Rstheant]

Yes, most definitely make a journal!!!

[B_rad0806]

WE MUST VOTE FOR A NAME
1: Camponotus Nurbert
2: Camponotus Nurbs

[Rstheant]

Nurbert honestly sounds odd. Nurbs, ehh, is better, but “Camponotus megálo” is a better name. Megálo is the Greek word for LARGE!!!

[B_rad0806]

Camponotus Large... I guess you can call every Camponotus that

Edited by B_rad0806, April 1 2019 - 4:29 PM.

[Derpy]

+1 vote for Camponotus Nurbert

[drtrmiller]

I guess it's just a coincidence you decided to share this on April Fools?

 

Anyways, you forgot to share the selfie you took when you found them:

 

Edited by drtrmiller, April 1 2019 - 3:44 PM.

[Rstheant]

1+ vote for just Camponotus mysterium

[Mettcollsuss]

I vote for C. nurbsus

[AntJohnny]

Those ants look awsome. I would uproot and move there now if I could. Just to have one of those. You have to make a journal no way around it.

[Zeiss]

This is fake news.

[anttics]

That looks like the massive camponotus in Simi valley. The major was so much larger than any Camponotus queen i have seen. So we do have overgrown camp species here cool. Are you selling that one just asking. If so save me one


Minor is around 8mm. The mediam around 12 13mm. The major who creep me up was to fast for me to catch. It might be as big or bigger than that new queens u got

If this is a new species. What name are u guys gonna give it.

Edited by anttics, April 1 2019 - 6:33 PM.

[WestLA_DO]

Nice find nurbs!

[Rstheant]

Probably sansabeanus or semitestaceus. Probably semi due to the reddish head color.

Edited by Rstheant, April 1 2019 - 6:35 PM.

[nurbs]

That looks like the massive camponotus in Simi valley. The major was so much larger than any Camponotus queen i have seen. So we do have overgrown camp species here cool. Are you selling that one just asking. If so save me one


Minor is around 8mm. The mediam around 12 13mm. The major who creep me up was to fast for me to catch. It might be as big or bigger than that new queens u got

If this is a new species. What name are u guys gonna give it.

 

That just looks like a salsa or a semitesticle.

[anttics]

Semitesticle. Lolol. Ok. You must do a journal so we can see the workers. Great find by the way. How long.is the queen?. I'm guessing around 18mm.

[dspdrew]

Yup, we finally got them.   I'll be making a journal as I do with every species I keep.