3 replies to this topic

[MrILoveTheAnts]

 

Vollenhovia emeryi is native to Japan and Korea. These colonies were found in Pennsylvania, USA. The species (and genus) is believed to have been introduced into the country along with 3000 or so Cherry Blossom trees planted in Washington D.C. Today, colonies are plentiful and well established in fallen trees all over the forests in the state, primarily around the Philadelphia area.

 

 

Hypoponera, or possibly Ponera pennsylvanica, were also very abundant in the same logs. I'm not used to seeing Ponera pennsylvanica nesting in logs or foraging out in the open abundantly like as these though. Perhaps they take on a different foraging pattern in heavily wooded areas? They seem strictly soil nesting in New Jersey.

Edited by MrILoveTheAnts, July 7 2016 - 10:57 AM.

[Antlover31]

​Have to ask since you are in the PA region. Do you have any ants to sell?

[Mdrogun]

That's a shame. Our government has such strict rules on importing and exporting insects yet nobody seems to follow them. I was the one who commented some of the ants might be Ponera pennsylvanica, if the last photo is a picture of the supposed Ponera pennsylvanica I would rule them out entirely. The Ponera pennsylvanica I've seen look way different than that.

Edited by Mdrogun, July 6 2016 - 8:28 PM.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

That's a shame. Our government has such strict rules on importing and exporting insects yet nobody seems to follow them. I was the one who commented some of the ants might be Ponera pennsylvanica, if the last photo is a picture of the supposed Ponera pennsylvanica I would rule them out entirely. The Ponera pennsylvanica I've seen look way different than that.

 

That is a photo of the Vollenhovia emeryi. The Ponera as I see it... according to the key in Ants of North America I need to see if the under side of the petiola has a small tooth (Ponera) or not (Hypoponera). My ID is based on behavior which I will admit isn't good. So I will be adding a cf. to the name.

 

As for government importation. I believe the trees were given in 1912, so the ant has been in the US for more than 100 years now. Considering they only seem to have spread to Pennsylvania that's pretty good. I did notice a lack of Camponotus wherever Vollenhovia were but C. pennsylvanicus and C. chrom were found in other parts of the same forest, so they are perhaps stabilizing.

Edited by MrILoveTheAnts, July 7 2016 - 11:06 AM.