12 replies to this topic

[Swirlysnowflake]

1. Location of collection: Sunnyvale, CA
2. Date of collection: May 4, 2022
3. Habitat of collection: my backyard, dry soil with leaf litter
4. Length: 2 mm
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: fully black
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Polygynous (tons of queens)
7. Anything else distinctive: N/A
8. Nest description: The colony was moving so I’m not sure how their original nest looks
9. Nuptial flight time and date: N/A, the huge colony was moving across my yard with tons of queens


I can get pics of some of the queens if needed to ID
My guess is Monomorium sp

[Broncos]

Possibly tetramorium?

Edited by Broncos, May 4 2021 - 12:13 PM.

[Swirlysnowflake]

Possibly tetramorium?

Tetras aren’t poly, are they? I thought they were pleo

[Broncos]

Possibly tetramorium?

Tetras aren’t poly, are they? I thought they were pleo

Oops didn’t read the polygonous part. Maybe peidole or monomorium like you said


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Swirlysnowflake]

Possibly tetramorium?

Tetras aren’t poly, are they? I thought they were pleo

Oops didn’t read the polygonous part. Maybe peidole or monomorium like you said
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Prob not pheidole bc there were no majors

[TennesseeAnts]

Looks Solenopsidini, so I'm going with Monomorium sp.

[Swirlysnowflake]

Looks Solenopsidini, so I'm going with Monomorium sp.

Any chance of getting it down to species level?

[TennesseeAnts]

 

Looks Solenopsidini, so I'm going with Monomorium sp.

Any chance of getting it down to species level?

 

Without microscope pictures, not really. If I had to guess based on location I'd go with M. ergatogyna. Don't quote me on that, though, lol.

[YsTheAnt]

Clearly monomorium, I agree with M. ergatogyna.

[ponerinecat]

Monomorium perhaps, but I think an ID is possible here. Why not Cardiocondyla?

[Swirlysnowflake]

Monomorium perhaps, but I think an ID is possible here. Why not Cardiocondyla?

Will pictures of the queen help? And I can try to get a worker under my microscope

[Swirlysnowflake]

 

 

Looks Solenopsidini, so I'm going with Monomorium sp.

Any chance of getting it down to species level?

 

Without microscope pictures, not really. If I had to guess based on location I'd go with M. ergatogyna. Don't quote me on that, though, lol.

 

I'll try to get microscope pictures later today

[gcsnelling]

This is Monomorium, by current definition this should be M. ergatogyna.