9 replies to this topic

[AntPhycho]

1. Found 8 of these girls after a heavy rain, High Desert was the location of collection.

2. I collected them yesterday at about 7:30 pm (July 11, 2018).

3. Habitat of collection is "desert scrub".

4. From head to gaster she is approximately 5 mm.

5. Striped yellow and black gaster, dark red head and thorax. Shiny exoskeleton, not many hairs.

6. Could not spot number of petiol nodes due to their size.

7. Runs extremely fast, I had trouble catching them.

8. N/A

9. Assuming nupital flight happened on day of collection then they flew at about 7:30 pm (July 11, 2018).

10. Some pictures

 

[Zeiss]

Forelius mccooki/pruinosus.  They fly almost every time it rains in the desert.  I'm trying to see which species it is exactly, but they're very similar in my eyes.  It may take a bit for the exact species.

Edited by Zeiss, July 12 2018 - 8:18 PM.

[AntPhycho]

Forelius mccooki/pruinosus.  They fly almost every time it rains in the desert.  I'm trying to see which species it is exactly, but they're very similar in my eyes.  It may take a bit for the exact species.

Ok thanks, hope they are mccooki, don't forget to get back to me about the exact species 

[dspdrew]

We drove through a mating flight of these and had them splattered all over the windshield.

[AntPhycho]

 We drove through a mating flight of these and had them splattered all over the windshield.

Awww, that is sad, imagine all of those potential ant colonies you ended.

Edited by AntPhycho, July 12 2018 - 9:00 PM.

[AntPhycho]

Here are some more pictures of one of the queens. These where focused better with better lightning, may be helpful for identifying the exact species.

 

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah305/AntLover122/Screen%20Shot%202018-07-13%20at%2012.10.15%20PM_zpso7e7au2b.png

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah305/AntLover122/Screen%20Shot%202018-07-13%20at%2012.09.01%20PM_zpsvd04i7kn.png

[gcsnelling]

Not a chance of an Id from any photo you are likely to be able to take.

[AntPhycho]

Not a chance of an Id from any photo you are likely to be able to take.

Already got an ID, just not an exact one. 

[Zeiss]

 

Not a chance of an Id from any photo you are likely to be able to take.

Already got an ID, just not an exact one. 

 

He meant you won't be able to get it down to the exact species.

[gcsnelling]

Yup, what he said. Quite likely even my dad would have looked at those and said "Yup that's Forelius all right"