2 replies to this topic

[Izzy]

Back on August 14th I found a large nuptial flight during the evening in the foot hills of Provo Canyon in Utah county after a large storm.

I found a ton of Lasius and Solenopsis molesta, but I only found one queen of a black species which was identified here in another post as Crematogaster.

 

Its first worker has arrived (despite being in diapause) and I'm pretty sure now its not Crematogaster, as its lacking the distinctive heart shaped gaster.

 

Here is the original picture of the queen

 

And here is another with a profile view. It almost looks like Camponotus from this angle.

 

And here is a picture of the worker holding a larva.

 

I thought maybe we were mistaken and its a Tetramorium queen, as the worker looks similar to Tetramorium to me, but I compared the queen side by side with my last Tetramorium queen and it seems to have a larger gaster, larger jaws, and a much taller hump on its thorax. Is it just a large Tetramorium? Any ideas?

 

Happy to try and get any additional pictures if needed.

 

EDIT: I'm starting to wonder if its Aphaenogaster?

Edited by Izzy, Yesterday, 11:30 PM.

[ReignofRage]

Aphaenogaster occidentalis. The presence of petiole nodes negates Crematogaster and the bulky mesosoma is enough to negate Pheidole like it was IDed as in a different thread.

Edited by ReignofRage, Today, 12:12 AM.

[Izzy]

Oh duh, it was Pheidole that he listed not Crematogaster. What the heck was I thinking? 

 

the bulky mesosoma is enough to negate Pheidole

 

Without a side picture in the original I guess that makes sense.

 

Thanks for the ID.