10 replies to this topic

[noebl1]

TONS of stuff flying today now that it hit 80F here...  found this one tonight.

 

Where collected? United States in Massachusetts near Nashua, NH

 

Habitat of collection? Heavily wooded lot, found on side of recycle bin

 

Coloration, hue and pattern? black head, bicolor thorax and gaster 

 

 

Length in millimeters? ~12mm

 

 

Edited by noebl1, May 12 2016 - 2:51 PM.

[noebl1]

Just found a second one on the deck... Formica species?

[noebl1]

Have them both in small test tubes.  One is pretty mellow, other is not so much and trying to rip the cotton ball to shreds in the top of the tube. 

[LC3]

I'm pretty sure this is a Camponotus sp. but I don't know the exact species.

[noebl1]

If it is, it's a dwarf species as it's tiny compared to the Camponotus (they're probably 1/3 the size of the Camponotus Americanus queen I have.)  

 

EDIT: I'll try remeasuring them tonight and get some side shots now that they settled down as 12mm may be high as significantly smaller than the Americanus I have which is 15mm.

Edited by noebl1, May 13 2016 - 4:41 AM.

[noebl1]

Camponotus nearcticus?

[dspdrew]

It's definitely from the Myrmentoma subgenus. I don't know anything about the Camponotus on the East Coast though.

[noebl1]

It's definitely from the Myrmentoma subgenus. I don't know anything about the Camponotus on the East Coast though.

 

Definitely agree.  It looks like most of the Myrmentoma subgenus here may enjoy living in wood from what I can find so far (Internet searches haven't gone well.)  I may let them go or give them away as not sure I want a species that can cause issues in the house if it escapes 

Edited by noebl1, May 13 2016 - 9:56 AM.

[Runner12]

That looks like it might be a Camponotus subbarbatus color variant

[Mdrogun]

 

It's definitely from the Myrmentoma subgenus. I don't know anything about the Camponotus on the East Coast though.

 

Definitely agree.  It looks like most of the Myrmentoma subgenus here may enjoy living in wood from what I can find so far (Internet searches haven't gone well.)  I may let them go or give them away as not sure I want a species that can cause issues in the house if it escapes 

 

I would not give her away, My Camponotus pennsylvanicus escaped their formicarium and they stayed in it. If Camponotus had a chance of infesting your house the thousands of other queens that flew with her would of done it by now.

[noebl1]

 

 

It's definitely from the Myrmentoma subgenus. I don't know anything about the Camponotus on the East Coast though.

 

Definitely agree.  It looks like most of the Myrmentoma subgenus here may enjoy living in wood from what I can find so far (Internet searches haven't gone well.)  I may let them go or give them away as not sure I want a species that can cause issues in the house if it escapes 

 

I would not give her away, My Camponotus pennsylvanicus escaped their formicarium and they stayed in it. If Camponotus had a chance of infesting your house the thousands of other queens that flew with her would of done it by now.

 

 

That's true... Just been gun shy a bit of the wood loving species as our house the previous owners let a Camponotus satellite colony get a bit out of hand rather than taking care of the problem.  We still have a service come out and spray the foundation routinely as we live in the middle of the woods.   We've had them swarm as well into the house as well  (following a 100' + line of them from the woods into the house).  After we moved in, I finally found they were coming under the front door, walking across the basement under the insulation, and living between the studs following the water pipes.  I now run a dehumidifier in the basement to keep it dry as well so less desirable as I suspect that was part of their allure.

 

My father had the same issue in their brand new house.  Satellite colony established itself within the basement between the studs not long after moving in. No wood rot, but ideal temp and humidity so moved right on it