1092 replies to this topic

[Barristan]

Camponotus cruentatus workers storing brood over the heat mat.

 

[Ernteameise]

Acanthomyrmex thailandensis major

 

[Yusteponant]

Nice photos!

[kalimant]

Acanthomyrmex thailandensis major

 

 

 

Acanthomyrmex is such a weird little genus. I like them because of the dimorphism, just like in my fav genus, Pheidole.

[kalimant]

Pheidole bilimeki soldier with cookie bait.

 

Have no idea whether my ID is correct at this point, but found these cute little critters in a town's downtown in central FL.

 

https://keyapa.com/p...orangey-townie/

 

The soldiers are somewhat timid, but were adept at being able to handle a Pheidole obscurithorax minor that was too inquisitive about the bait I had used to find them

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Edited by kalimant, October 10 2024 - 7:22 PM.

[kalimant]

Huge Solenopsis invicta striding past the dead bodies of Pheidole megacephala killed by its brethren. Note the size of the P. megacephala soldier to its right for comparison.

 

 

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[kalimant]

Pheidole megacephala minor worker confronting Pheidole obscurithorax soldiers

 

https://keyapa.com/p...-confrontation/

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Edited by kalimant, November 13 2024 - 6:42 AM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Pheidole megacephala minor worker confronting Pheidole obscurithorax soldiers

 

https://keyapa.com/p...-confrontation/

Wow, she does not know what is coming because looking at the Pheidole obscurithorax majors’ mandibles, they are a predatory species specializing in killing live prey / ants

[kalimant]

 

Pheidole megacephala minor worker confronting Pheidole obscurithorax soldiers

 

https://keyapa.com/p...-confrontation/

Wow, she does not know what is coming because looking at the Pheidole obscurithorax majors’ mandibles, they are a predatory species specializing in killing live prey / ants

 

 

Actually, the aggressors in this case are the P. megacephala. Although each individual P. obscurithorax soldier is significantly stronger than even the P. megacephala soldiers, the numbers are on the side of the latter. I expect the larger species to abscond from their nest in the next few days as this P. megacephala node is very large and is expanding. 

This P. obscurithorax soldier got mobbed by P. megacephala minors, but later managed to extricate itself. The soldiers are seriously strong.

 

 

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[Leo]

Nylanderia emmae in a fungus covered chamber

 

Camponotus vs Paratrechina

 

Myrmecina (mite eating ants), fairly uncommon genus

 

Chronoxenus social parasite being attacked by host Tapinoma workers

 

Large Tapinoma melanocephalum nest

 

Strumigenys cf. nanzanensis nesting next to Nylanderia emmae

Edited by Leo, February 15 2025 - 6:09 PM.

[Voidley]

Beautiful! I love the colors in your photos!

[eea]

Why is the Nylanderia chamber covered in fungus?

[ReignofRage]

I recently went out to collect specimens of California's Solenopsis "aurea." If they look like S. xyloni to you, that's because they are actually an undescribed sister species to the taxon S. xyloni. This species only exists in the Salton Trough, along the Colorado River, and are scattered through other adjacent areas. This fire ant species forms a group with the S. xyloni (which is actually 4 different species!), which is a sister group to the group formed by S. ambylchila and S. aurea. The following photos display both full-size majors, minors, and those in between.