17 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

I went out with kellakk today to try and find another Pheidole queen. No luck, but found these guys along a trail not far from a few Pogonomyrmex nests. My best guess is Camponotus. Any other ideas?

 

 

[Gregory2455]

Kinda looks like Myrmecocystus.

[dspdrew]

The easiest way to tell some of the common medium sized formicines from Camponotus, is looking at the thorax. Camponotus will always have one large hump. This ant has two humps, therefor it's something other than Camponotus. What color is this ant, because it's silhouetting pretty bad on that white background, so I don't think we're seeing the color very well? Also, how long is it in mm? I think Greg's probably right. I'm beginning to like that area more and more.

[Foogoo]

Pretty much black. It's roughly the size of Camponotus or Pogonomyrmex, do maybe 8mm or so? I wasn't aware Myrmycocytus came in black, I always thought they'd be a lighter shade.

Edited by Foogoo, February 1 2015 - 12:22 AM.

[dspdrew]

Myrmecocystus come in a lot of colors. Did they look anything like this?

 

[kellakk]

What about Dorymyrmex?  This nest was 1-2 m away from a Pogonomyrmex nest.

[Miles]

Not Dorymyrmex. That's a dolichoderine, not a formicine like your specimen. This looks strongly like Myrmecocystus.

Edited by Miles, February 1 2015 - 10:59 AM.

[Foogoo]

Myrmecocystus come in a lot of colors. Did they look anything like this?

 

Based on my ant identifications skills probably equal to that of a 3rd grader, I'd say yes. They looked like Camponotus (I've never seen Myrmecocystus, that I know of) - larger ants with slender bodies and long, spidery legs. They did not have the body/legs like Pogonomyrmex/Messor.

[kellakk]

If this is Myrmecocystus I'd be very, very happy.  Now I just need to sit next to it every day for the next 6 months

[Miles]

If this is Myrmecocystus I'd be very, very happy.  Now I just need to sit next to it every day for the next 6 months

99% sure this is Myrmecocystus. Go sit now. 

[kellakk]

There's some better pictures of this colony in this thread.

[dspdrew]

Myrmecocystus they are.

[Chromerust]

That looks just like the diurnal honeypots I see here in Riverside. I don't know the name of them right of the top.

[Gregory2455]

Can anyone define 'diurnal'?

[kellakk]

Can anyone define 'diurnal'?

Diurnal, as in active during the day.

[Gregory2455]

Oh I see now.

[James C. Trager]

No doubt it's a diurnal Myrmecocystus. Look at the length of that maxillary palp in the first image! There are some Camponotus with thorax shape like this, but they live on other continents and do not have such extravagant palps.

[dspdrew]

There are some Camponotus with thorax shape like this, but they live on other continents and do not have such extravagant palps.

 

Oh wow. I thought that was a rule. Next you're not going to tell us that some Myrmecocystus have really small maxillary palps are you?