6 replies to this topic

[theneuro]

In early June, I caught many different queen ants in my driveway (where the gravel meets the grass, slightly shaded but mostly sunny). I live just outside of city limits, with a fairly large yard and a forest located nearby (I live in Arkansas). I caught them in the daytime (around 3PM) the day after a storm... it was very hot. The queens are all about 7-8 mm in length, and about 1 mm wide (the gasters are 2mm wide). The gaster is black, with the rest of the body being a very dark brown (the legs appear to be a slightly lighter brown). Although difficult to see, they are covered in hair (the thorax seems to lack hair, but it may just be very small). The petiole has 2 nodes. Right now, most of the queens have brood, with one of them having around ten workers. These workers are exceptionally small in comparison to the queen, although that may be because they are nanitics (I'm not sure how much bigger future workers will get). When alarmed, the workers seem to raise their gasters in the air. When moved into a new formicarium, one of the queens immediately sought refuge in the tightest spot available, and the workers started to seal the spot in with loose substrate. None of the workers or queens have ever bitten or stung me. If you need any more information, feel free to ask away!

http://imgur.com/a/9W0CQ

http://imgur.com/zB9SL1d

[Batspiderfish]

Solenopsis invicta. I'm guessing the workers are less aggressive because the colony is so young (and the workers so small.) That gaster-raising behavior is typical for these fire ants.

[Batspiderfish]

Actually, could you perhaps get more pictures? The second one with the queen was really the only useful one. The hairiness sounds like it could be the native Solenopsis xyloni, but these are believed to have been completely eradicated by S. invicta in the south east. I am not too familiar with the eastern limit of this S. xyloni.

 

Nah, I'm sticking with Solenopsis invicta. I didn't realize how hairy they are as well.

Edited by Batspiderfish, July 14 2016 - 3:24 AM.

[theneuro]

Okay, thanks. I thought that's what it was, but I just wanted to definitely make sure. I'm actually quite pleased with them being Solenopsis invicta!

Also, if you couldn't tell, two of the pictures with the queen had workers on her back (just in case you were mistaking them for being a part of her or something).

[Batspiderfish]

Haha, it looked like a piece of lint, so I just used the second one. 

[Saftron]

Omg bat, I have a queen that looks exactly the same as that yet she's fully black with brown lower legs and a stripe on the end of her gaster. I think she's a Tetramorium Caespitum as I really hope so because I don't like fire ants at all

[Batspiderfish]

Omg bat, I have a queen that looks exactly the same as that yet she's fully black with brown lower legs and a stripe on the end of her gaster. I think she's a Tetramorium Caespitum as I really hope so because I don't like fire ants at all

 

Make an ID post, and I'll see if I recognize her tomorrow.

Edited by Batspiderfish, July 14 2016 - 6:16 PM.