15 replies to this topic

[noobkeeper]

Hello everyone! This is my first post on this forum as I'm starting to get into ant keeping.
I found 3 queens (one still has wings, but she was waking on the ground so I took her) on the 16th of October just after a nuptial flight. There were alates literally everywhere.

Anyway, here hare some pics of one of the 3 queens (sorry for the link, it doesn't allow me to upload directly on the forum): http://imgur.com/a/PbNRs

 

At a first look I thought they were Tetramorium Caespitum but it's really late for them to fly! Any ideas? Help is much appreciated!
Some info: I found them walking on some small rocks in the countryside. They are about 6mm long, as you can see from the pics. The nuptial flight happened in a warm day after a rainstorm.

Edited by noobkeeper, October 23 2016 - 7:06 AM.

[Canadian anter]

You're welcome. I agree withthis being a tetramorium. But I know it probably isn't caespitum. There are plenty of late flying tetramorium in Italy. Otherwise it might be a solenopsis or Monomorium

[Mdrogun]

You're welcome. I agree withthis being a tetramorium. But I know it probably isn't caespitum. There are plenty of late flying tetramorium in Italy. Otherwise it might be a solenopsis or Monomorium

This is definitely not Tetramorium. I am really on the fence about this. Are you sure it's 6mm? I think I am leaning towards Monomorium subopacum. I'm not sure. Once she gets workers I could get you a much more solid ID.

[Alabama Anter]

You're welcome. I agree withthis being a tetramorium. But I know it probably isn't caespitum. There are plenty of late flying tetramorium in Italy. Otherwise it might be a solenopsis or Monomorium

This is definitely not Tetramorium. I am really on the fence about this. Are you sure it's 6mm? I think I am leaning towards Monomorium subopacum. I'm not sure. Once she gets workers I could get you a much more solid ID.

How did y'all think this was tetramorium??!!! I think it is Solenopsis molesta and not Monomirium

[noobkeeper]

This is definitely not Tetramorium. I am really on the fence about this. Are you sure it's 6mm? I think I am leaning towards Monomorium subopacum. I'm not sure. Once she gets workers I could get you a much more solid ID.

Yeah it's about 6mm, maybe just a little less. You can check it yourself by looking at the ruler in the background. I hope they will lay some eggs soon, but it has been 8 days and still nothing. Every time I check them they're standing still and are really calm, could have they gone in hibernation?

 

How did y'all think this was tetramorium??!!! I think it is Solenopsis molesta and not Monomirium

 

IDK, but my queens look a bit darker than Solenopsis Molesta. Also, they legs' color is lighter than the rest of the body.

[Mdrogun]

 

 

You're welcome. I agree withthis being a tetramorium. But I know it probably isn't caespitum. There are plenty of late flying tetramorium in Italy. Otherwise it might be a solenopsis or Monomorium

This is definitely not Tetramorium. I am really on the fence about this. Are you sure it's 6mm? I think I am leaning towards Monomorium subopacum. I'm not sure. Once she gets workers I could get you a much more solid ID.

How did y'all think this was tetramorium??!!! I think it is Solenopsis molesta and not Monomirium

 

I honestly have no idea how someone thought this was Tetramorium. Maybe they've had little to no experience with the species. While you're definitely much closer to a correct ID than Tetramorium spp., Solenopsis molesta queens are generally just over 5mm and this queen is 6mm. I couldn't find a size online for Monomorium subopacum and out of all the Solenopsis and Monomorium species in the area they seemed to be the closest as far as looks go. Like I said, workers would help tremendously with this ID.

[Alabama Anter]

Yep agreed Nolan

[Canadian anter]

Wait yeah you're right this is probably a monomorium species. It seems too dark for solenopsis fugax. I thought that this was tetramorium because of a previous ID post and my flawed "IDing skills" being based off of body shape

[Batspiderfish]

Mesosoma is too wide for Monomorium.

[James C. Trager]

Crematogaster, possibly the common black species of the Mediterranean region, C. auberti.

[noobkeeper]

Crematogaster, possibly the common black species of the Mediterranean region, C. auberti.

 

Not a Crematogaster, its gaster isn't pointy enough.

 

Wait yeah you're right this is probably a monomorium species. It seems too dark for solenopsis fugax. I thought that this was tetramorium because of a previous ID post and my flawed "IDing skills" being based off of body shape

 

 

Actually, someone else in another forum suggested Solenopsis Fugax too and I agree with them. You can't really see it from the pics, but it has lighter legs and a brown body, not reddish or black.

 

So I think I got an ID!

[Canadian anter]

 

Crematogaster, possibly the common black species of the Mediterranean region, C. auberti.

 

Not a Crematogaster, its gaster isn't pointy enough.

 

Wait yeah you're right this is probably a monomorium species. It seems too dark for solenopsis fugax. I thought that this was tetramorium because of a previous ID post and my flawed "IDing skills" being based off of body shape

 

 

Actually, someone else in another forum suggested Solenopsis Fugax too and I agree with them. You can't really see it from the pics, but it has lighter legs and a brown body, not reddish or black.

 

So I think I got an ID!

 

Ummm..  James Trager is one of the most reliable sources  out there

[Batspiderfish]

Aren't 6mm pretty small for Crematogaster auberti?

Edited by Batspiderfish, October 25 2016 - 6:43 AM.

[Jonathan21700]

Solenopsis fugax from what I can see. The flights here in Bulgaria begin from September to November and are massive whit millions of alates

Solenopsis fugax                                                                                                                                                                     

Crematogaster auberti

[Nexus]

European speaking here.

 

This is definitely not a Crematogaster :

 

First, the petiole is double --> sub-family of the Myrmicinae

 Now why Solenopsis and not Crematogaster ?

Because : - the insertion of the petiole is in the middle of the gaster (it's on top for the Crematogaster

                 - We clearly see tw maces on the end of the antennas  (caracteristical of Solenopsis genus)

                 - As you said, the gaster isn't pointy.

 

It is probably a Solenopsis fugax. Different degrees of shades exist in this species so not a problem if it is darker than on the photos of the internet...

[James C. Trager]

I gladly stand corrected Jonathan and Nexus. I like and agree with the Solenopsis fugax ID (but species need work in southern Europe). 
 

And we really needed better pictures, noobkeeper. One good picture of the head showing antennal segmetation would have made all this a lot easier. Keep working on those ant photography skills.

Edited by James C. Trager, February 9 2017 - 6:28 AM.