11 replies to this topic

[Jonstep85]

Location Amarillo TX
Caught 6-27-2017

Queen 1
11mm
Dug out of freshly dug chamber about 3 inches down
Open lot in town mowed grass and weeds
Ant is all black except red head
I've never seen an ant like this around here before





Queen 2
6mm
Caught in mid air with hand during mating swarm
Open lot in town mowed grass and weeds
Ant is completely jet black
From what I can tell I'm thinking this one is Tetramorium.

[FeedTheAnts]

queen 1 is Lasius(maybe)? Queen 2 is Crematogater

[yen_saw]

My guess 

 

Queen 1: Myrmecocystus sp, maybe M mimicus?

 

Queen 2: Dorymyrmex sp? D insanus?

Edited by yen_saw, June 28 2017 - 2:19 PM.

[dspdrew]

First one is definitely Myrmecocystus. Looks like M. mendax or M. placodops maybe.

 

Second one is definitely not Dorymyrmex. It does kind of look like Crematogaster, but I'm not sure really.

[Canadian anter]

Second one is definitely Crematogaster

[Aaron567]

Second one is definitely Crematogaster

 

I don't think a Crematogaster queen would have a petiole like that.

[dspdrew]

 

Second one is definitely Crematogaster

 

I don't think a Crematogaster queen would have a petiole like that.

 

 

Yeah, that's why I think it's probably something else too. It really looks shaped like Solenopsis to me.

 

Edit: Oh and I just now noticed the size too. Most likely not Crematogaster.

 

Edit: Actually you can clearly see there's no spines, so definitely not Crematogaster. I wonder if it's Monomorium.

Edited by dspdrew, June 28 2017 - 3:25 PM.

[Jonstep85]

Thanks for all the help! Is there a magic website or book that is helpful to you IDers/guessers?

[yen_saw]

Thanks for all the help! Is there a magic website or book that is helpful to you IDers/guessers?

You can try this book, "Ants of North America: A Guide to the Genera", it won't id species but provide guideline for genus.

 

 

Edit: Oh and I just now noticed the size too. Most likely not Crematogaster.

 

Edit: Actually you can clearly see there's no spines, so definitely not Crematogaster. I wonder if it's Monomorium.

 

I missed the size too....  it is not Dorymyrmex which is definitely larger than 6 mm. Agree with Monomorium sp. too.

[dspdrew]

 

Thanks for all the help! Is there a magic website or book that is helpful to you IDers/guessers?

You can try this book, "Ants of North America: A Guide to the Genera", it won't id species but provide guideline for genus.

 

 

Edit: Oh and I just now noticed the size too. Most likely not Crematogaster.

 

Edit: Actually you can clearly see there's no spines, so definitely not Crematogaster. I wonder if it's Monomorium.

 

I missed the size too....  it is not Dorymyrmex which is definitely larger than 6 mm. Agree with Monomorium sp. too.

 

 

Dorymyrmex is also not a myrmecine, this this ant clearly is.

[yen_saw]

 

 

Dorymyrmex is also not a myrmecine, this this ant clearly is.

 

COuld you share with us why Dorymyrmex is 'clearly' not myrmecine, so people who are not clear like myself can benefit from your insight.

[dspdrew]

http://ipm.ucanr.edu...countnodes.html

 

Formicinae and Dolichodarinae (Dorymyrmex), among other subfamilies have one petiole node.

Myrmicinae, among other subfamilies have two nodes.