5 replies to this topic

[BMM]

1. Location of collection: Just south of St. Louis
2. Date of collection: 6/29/17
3. Habitat of collection: Flying around my driveway.
4. Length (from head to gaster): 3-3.5 mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brownish orange body with lighter gaster that has brown and yellow stripes.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Two petioles (I believe), no spines that I can see, no visible hairs
7. Distinguishing behavior: Nothing in particular. 
8. Nest description: Not sure.

 

I thought these were Temnothorax queens at first due to the size and color, but upon closer inspection they really don't look very similar.

 

 

[Batspiderfish]

Looks like a Solenopsis thief ant.

[FeedTheAnts]

Yes, Solenopsis molesta.

[BMM]

Neat. I thought it looked kind of like Solenopsis, but I'm not very familiar with them outside of the fire ant sort. I've got two of them, so I think I'll house them together since they're polygynous.

[FeedTheAnts]

Where I am you can always find small nests of them in the ground with sometimes upward to 10 queens!

[BMM]

I've never actually found any of their colonies before, but queens were buzzing around everywhere. I guess their size makes them pretty good at staying unseen.