19 replies to this topic

[punsandglory]

Collected: May 13, 2018, in my backyard (Portland OR) (suburban)

Length: roughly 1.3 cm

Description: Black with 4 rings around it's abdomen, has one petiole.

 

I don't know where the nest is or when it flew, and sorry for the bad pictures, it refused to stay still.

 

https://drive.google...4ieKj_PQ3m6gXGH

 

[super_oil]

Most likely Camponotus laevigatus, could also be Camponotus pennsylvanicus.

[Mortamir]

Is the thorax dark red? Kinda looks like it from the pics.
If yes then possible C. novaeboracensis.

LC3 will probably chime in later.🐰

Generally C. laevigatus is from a high altitude.

Meow

[Miles]

Camponotus pennsylvanicus does not occur in Oregon. Having lived near Portland, I think that this is likely a dark variant of Camponotus vicinus. It may also be the western black carpenter ant, Camponotus modoc or as previously suggested, Camponotus laevigatus. If it's not C. vicinus, my best guess would be C. laevigatus due to morphological appearance. More pictures in better light will help us develop a more confident identification.

Edited by Miles, May 14 2018 - 6:27 AM.

[Canadian anter]

I second miles.

[Mortamir]

So you agree that we all have no idea what it is?

LoL.

Ya better pics if you can buddy.
Peace

[LC3]

I think the size would point to C. vicinus If I’m not mistaken.

[punsandglory]

I'll take some more pictures when I get home, maybe it will have calmed down a little...

I also captured a second one that's almost identical except for the fact that it's bigger and was hurt when I captured it.

I don't know if it really matters but we live at an elevation of roughly 300 feet. 

[nurbs]

Pretty sure it's not a black C. vicinus. The first top down image shows the width of the head, which is wider than the thorax. Vicinus head is usually longer than it is wide, unless there is an OR variety of a black C. vicinus that I'm not aware of.

 

If you get a macro closeup shot of the head, look at the base of the scapes. On C. vicinus it is flattened, like this image here.

 

 

Need better lit images! But this is most likely C. modoc or C. laevigatus. If the hairs are white, it is C. laevigatus. If the hairs are brown/golden, that would be C. modoc. 

 

Laevigatus, Modoc, Vicinus, that that order. Notice head proportions:

 

[Mortamir]

Well if you look at the pictures you can see this ant is 8 mm not the 1.5 cm stated above.

8 mm C.laevigatus queen? Queens generally start at 13 mm and C. Modoc as well I believe.

So let's start over.

[nurbs]

Sorry, am I missing an image? (another reason to please embed your shots) Which picture are you seeing where it shows 8mm?

 

Well if you look at the pictures you can see this ant is 8 mm not the 1.5 cm stated above.

8 mm C.laevigatus queen? Queens generally start at 13 mm and C. Modoc as well I believe.

So let's start over.

[Mortamir]

Dang the pics are gone. He said he will try for better ones, maybe he is working on it.

[nurbs]

Dang the pics are gone. He said he will try for better ones, maybe he is working on it.

 

What? They are still up. Here, I just embedded them. Where are you seeing 8mm? 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mortamir]

Wow, those aren't the pics I saw earlier when I clicked the link. 😭
Ya its pretty shinny.

[punsandglory]

ooooh, I know what you saw. I used that folder previously for a much smaller queen, C. Nearcticus, and it must have shown you those for some reason. Working on the pictures atm.

 

edit: I always forget how weird that tongue sticking out emoji is.

Edited by punsandglory, May 15 2018 - 9:46 PM.

[punsandglory]

https://drive.google...4ieKj_PQ3m6gXGH

more pictures

[sericultivist]

Are the legs reddish? If so, the fact that the stripes on the gaster alternate between shiny and matte would mean it's Camponotus modoc. I remember seeing a ton of modoc last time I was up near Portland.

[punsandglory]

The old pictures showed the legs as black, but the newer closer(ish) ones do show them as red.

[LC3]

This appears to be C. modoc although it’s a rather small specimen. In the newer images though it looks a bit starved.

[punsandglory]

Yikes! I'll make sure to feed it.