7 replies to this topic

[EDM]

This guy flew into my car back in mid May. I first tried to catch her in it but I thought she flew out. Turns out she was still in my car the next day and I caught her and put her in a test tube set up. I live in Knoxville (eastern Tennessee). There are trees/bushes/grasses everywhere up here. She now has 4-5 eggs and two cocoons. She barely fits in her setup and I see her pulling at the cotton on both sides every once in awhile. I hope the pictures help and I can always get more. Thank you for the help. 

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[dspdrew]

It looks like Camponotus to me, possibly C. nearcticus?

[EDM]

Thanks so much for replying to my post. I looked up C. Nearcticus. I could not find a picture of a queen that looks like this one. However, I did read where they can actually differ in colors and markings so I suppose it can be that. How certain would you say you are that it is at least a camponotus, carpenter ant? I once had harvester ants when I lived out in AZ but this is exciting. I have always wanted one. 

[dspdrew]

I'm not all that sure about any of that, looking at those pictures, but it does look a lot like Camponotus. The only thing I'm sure about is that it's a formicine. If it is Camponotus, then it's a smaller species.

[Mercutia]

Definitely not C. nearcticus. C. nearcticus will have a much longer thinner gaster. If this is Camponotus I'd guess more closely looking to C. caryae though I'm not completely familiar with the species in your particular region.

 

Do you mind giving a size in mm as well as any details of colloration or anything else interesting about her? Also a picture from the side could be useful.

[Crystals]

Definitely a Camponotus, look at the head and build.

Here is a list of Tennesse's Camponotus species: http://www.antweb.or...t=tennesseeants

There only seem to be a few mostly/solid black Camponotus.  We would need good close pictures to really ID her well.

If she is under 12mm, then she is Camponotus nearcticus.  If she is over 15mm, then she is Camponotus pennsylvanicus.

 

PS. photobucket.com and other free picture hosting services work well to upload large pictures.

[Mercutia]

Camponotus caryae is also all black and extends into his region. I still have high doubts that it's C. nearcticus.

[EDM]

Ahhh thanks for all the help/input. It know these are not the best pics for identifying but it does look very similar to that caryae. If I had a ruler at hand I would measure it, that's why I left the dime. Ill go with that for now. I have one more ID to post which ill get to sometime hopefully soon. Thanks.