17 replies to this topic

[lpst]

Hello everyone! This is a very exciting day for me! After setting up, searching for and failing at finding a queen for a year, I finally found one! I was traveling on the I-5 heading to dinner and shopping at the Tejon Outlets at the base of the Grapevine between Los Angeles and Bakersfield. I got out of the car in front of the restaurant, looked down, and there she was, one wing left and scrambling about! I had nothing with me but my fingers and a plastic bag so with my wife and kids standing on the sidewalk not very enthused, and about 50 people staring oddly, I was able to not only embarrass my wife apparently, but catch my first queen! I filled the bag with air and put her in it for the ride home. She is now doing well in my Tar Heel Ants Atom formicarium. She is about 11mm long, dark red head, red thorax, and blackish colored abdomen. I thought maybe a Camponotus? Can anyone ID for me please? Still working on posting the photos. Thanks!

Edited by lpst, May 19 2018 - 9:53 AM.

[lpst]

[Phoenix]

Looks like a species of Solenopsis to me.

[LC3]

S. invicta probably.

[T.C.]

Solenopsis sp.

 

Solenopsis invicta? I'm not sure.

[LC3]

S. xyloni then?

[lpst]

Awesome! Thank you so much!

[StopSpazzing]

Can you get a clearer shot? Looks like S. invictus which is illegal to transport and interactive with in most CA counties.

Edited by StopSpazzing, May 19 2018 - 11:47 AM.

[BobJ]

What time of day was she caught?  If between 1 - 4pm then she could be solenopsis invicta.  She still had one wing which means she probably landed not long before your discovery of her.  If it was a sundown discovery then she most likely is not solenopsis invicta.

[lpst]

Can you get a clearer shot? Looks like S. invictus which is illegal to transport and interactive with in most CA counties.

 

That's the best I can get for now I would prefer not to stress her out for photos with my camera but maybe in a few weeks. I will look into legalities, If it helps, I only live about 15-20 min drive from where I found her, and it's in the same county.

[lpst]

What time of day was she caught?  If between 1 - 4pm then she could be solenopsis invicta.  She still had one wing which means she probably landed not long before your discovery of her.  If it was a sundown discovery then she most likely is not solenopsis invicta.

it was about 6-7pm close to sunset 

[gcsnelling]

In that locality it should be S. xyloni which is what this one appears to be.

[lpst]

From what I could see searching photos of both S. invicta, and S. xyloni,  it resembles S. xyloni the most, especially in the abdomen. The abdominal sections are spaced equally on the S. xyloni, where as the abdominal sections on the S. invicta start as a large section then abruptly get smaller. I apologize if I am not using the correct nomenclature.

[YsTheAnt]

Along with what others have said, the first picture shows lighter red coloration. You got yourself a native fire ant queen, Solenopsis xyloni . These grow fast, and sting, so be careful.

[lpst]

Along with what others have said, the first picture shows lighter red coloration. You got yourself a native fire ant queen, Solenopsis xyloni . These grow fast, and sting, so be careful.

Thank you, from what I’ve read about them so far, I agree. I am already thinking for the future and prepping a larger habitat, she’s in a small founding chamber now and I have a larger 5 chamber ready. What I cannot find is what type of Queen the S. xyloni is, Fully-claustral, Semi-claustral, or Social parasite. I did raise the temperature a bit in the room she is in, is 75°F too low of a temperature? it stays at about 75-80 unless I turn the a/c on.

[BobJ]

She's most likely fully claustral.  Temperature wise 75 should be fine.  If they're like solenopsis invicta then 85 is their max.  Solenopsis invicta likes 80-82 but that also means the brood develop faster and they become unmanageable quicker.

[YsTheAnt]

Along with what others have said, the first picture shows lighter red coloration. You got yourself a native fire ant queen, Solenopsis xyloni . These grow fast, and sting, so be careful.

Thank you, from what I’ve read about them so far, I agree. I am already thinking for the future and prepping a larger habitat, she’s in a small founding chamber now and I have a larger 5 chamber ready. What I cannot find is what type of Queen the S. xyloni is, Fully-claustral, Semi-claustral, or Social parasite. I did raise the temperature a bit in the room she is in, is 75°F too low of a temperature? it stays at about 75-80 unless I turn the a/c on.

Fully claustral, for fastest growth keep at 85 Fahrenheit, 75 for more controlled growth.

[lpst]

Thanks! She already has eggs! At least from what could tell, I peeked in today and there were three tiny white eggs she was moving next to the water tube