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Seattle, WA - Workers farming aphids

Started By prettycode , Sep 3 2015 2:55 PM

Best Answer Miles , September 3 2015 - 4:10 PM

These are Lasius cf. pallitarsis workers.

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8 replies to this topic

#1 Offline prettycode - Posted September 3 2015 - 2:55 PM

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Noticed this in my backyard today:

http://imgur.com/a/yRU6N#0 (6 pictures)

See how the bottom of the vine is darker green? I went in for a close-up and realized it's covered in aphids!

And there are ants roaming around them! Actually, the ants are traveling in two directions.

The ants traveling DOWN toward the end of the vine, where the aphids are, have small (empty), opaque gasters.

The ants traveling UP away from the end of the vine, back to the nest, have much larger gasters--now with translucent stripes. They're full of aphid poo!

Tried to get video but it turned out terrible. Hope you guys enjoy the pictures!

What species is this?

Edited by prettycode, September 3 2015 - 6:28 PM.

ctantkeeper, BrittonLS, LC3 and 1 other like this

#2 Offline Tpro4 - Posted September 3 2015 - 3:22 PM

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LocationNorth Hills, CA

i think they are a typr of honey pot, but the picture is too blurry

Remember Dragon Warrior, anything is possible when you have inner peace. - Master Shifu

Current Queens:
1 Unknown Pogomyemex
1 Solenopsis Xyloni

#3 Offline AntsTexas - Posted September 3 2015 - 3:46 PM

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LocationLubbock, Texas

s. invicta do the same

prettycode likes this

Ant Queens found:

Solenopsis Invicta, Solenopsis xyloni, Brachymyrmex depilis/Sp, Myrmecocystus Mimicus, Pogonomyrmex barbatus,

Forelius pruinosus, Camponotus sayi, Dorymyrmex insanus, crematogaster ashmeadi,

----------------------------------------

Ant Queens i have going right now:

camponotus sayi, solenopsis invicta, Myrmecocystus Mimicus, Forelius pruinosus

Pogonomyrmex barbatus, and some others (no i.d.)

---------------------------------------

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#4 Offline Miles - Posted September 3 2015 - 4:10 PM Best Answer

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LocationFlorida & Arizona

These are Lasius cf. pallitarsis workers.

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PhD Student & NSF Graduate Research Fellow | University of Florida Dept. of Entomology & Nematology - Lucky Ant Lab

Founder & Director of The Ant Network. Ant keeper since 2009. Insect ecologist and science communicator. He/Him.

#5 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 3 2015 - 4:19 PM

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Dang, Miles beat me to it. Yeah these are Lasius.

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#6 Offline ctantkeeper - Posted September 3 2015 - 4:20 PM

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defiantly lasius

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#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 4 2015 - 6:38 AM

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LocationSanta Ana, CA

defiantly lasius

:lol:

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#8 Offline prettycode - Posted September 4 2015 - 2:45 PM

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Did the ants happen upon all these aphids and send a workforce over to fill up with aphid poo, or do these ants keep the aphids as husbandry (i.e move the aphids around as the ants see fit, help protect care after young aphids, etc.)?

#9 Offline Billy - Posted September 5 2015 - 7:39 AM

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Did the ants happen upon all these aphids and send a workforce over to fill up with aphid poo, or do these ants keep the aphids as husbandry (i.e move the aphids around as the ants see fit, help protect care after young aphids, etc.)?

I'm not sure about this particular case, but I know that some species do the latter.