2 replies to this topic

[michiganantsinmyyard]

Found about 5-6 of these guys under a rock in my backyard. First Formica i've ever seen in my backyard, and they seem to be either a slavemaking or moundmaking species, which is quite strange.

Approximately 6-8mm in length.

 

 

[Artisan_Ants]

We need a picture of the head to determine from both groups. For sanguinea, there should be a “median concave impression on the anterior border of the clypeus (Fisher and Cover, 2007) which I saw on the head picture of castes within this group. I’m not fully sure if this is the right thing, but I’m confident that it might be the correct thing as there is a somewhat semicircle in the middle of the head above the clypeus (the median refers to the center where there can be a symmetrical divide, in this case of the head) and should be found on workers such as this one. Even if it isn’t perfect, there should still be a sign of it. As of rufa group, I’m not particularly sure as according to (Fisher and Cover, 2007) “there is no real distinguishing feature for this species group, apart from their ecological habitats of building thatch mounds and being temporary social parasites, features shared with a few other Formica species groups.”

[OiledOlives]

Formica sanguinea-group

Photos of the setae on the gula, occipital corners, and pronotum will allow for species identification.