14 replies to this topic

[Nathant2131]

I've decided to make a thread dedicated to the Formicidae I personally find and what habitat they were in. May help some people in Eastern US out (I'm in MA) and is also for me to look back to. I have the template down here for myself.

 

 

Species

 

Location

Date Ant(s) found

Other Notes

 

(Picture[s])

Edited by Nathant2131, June 17 2017 - 6:42 AM.

[Nathant2131]

edit

Edited by Nathant2131, June 17 2017 - 6:27 AM.

[Nathant2131]

edit

Edited by Nathant2131, June 17 2017 - 6:28 AM.

[Martialis]

There's a colony in my front yard that constantly runs larvae up and down the tree they're under. I've yet to identify them.

Edited by Martialis, March 2 2017 - 7:20 AM.

[Nathant2131]

There's a colony in my front yard that constantly runs larvae up and down the tree they're under. I've yet to identify them.

Are they small, brownish red and shiny? Probably P. imparis if so. Also, is the tree hardwood?

[Martialis]

They're dark brown to black. It's a  Bradford pear. Their hill is at the base of the tree

[Nathant2131]

They're dark brown to black. It's a  Bradford pear. Their hill is at the base of the tree

Hmm they might be P.imparis. Do you have any pics?

[Martialis]

Nope. They're hibernating for winter.

[Nathant2131]

If you want to ID them and see if they are P. imparis, observe that colony very closely during winter and try looking for a foraging worker. I find workers of this species even  in the middle of snow on their tree bases if I'm lucky enough.

[Nathant2131]

edit

Edited by Nathant2131, June 17 2017 - 6:29 AM.

[Nathant2131]

Tetramorium sp. e

 

Dracut, MA

11/12/16

A large colony lives under almost half of these rocks. It is generally grassland, but there is a small hardwood forest about 75 feet away. There also is an apple tree a few feet away, and when the apples fall the workers gobble them up, often leaving with full gasters.

 

Edited by Nathant2131, June 17 2017 - 6:29 AM.

[Nathant2131]

Camponotus americanus

 

Dracut, Massachusetts (Dracut-Lowell State Forest)

6/11/17

I found a mound in rocky, gravally ground with active workers. Was surprised to find this species in such a dense area as the only other area I've seen them in was open. Despite it still being dense, this was one of the most open areas of the forest. The mound was wide, sandy and low to the ground.

 

 

Edited by Nathant2131, June 17 2017 - 6:41 AM.

[Nathant2131]

Crematogaster sp.

 

Freedom, New Hampshire

5/~27/17

A colony (?) under the skin of a tree, on the edge of a dense forest and sandy area. No, it was not under bark in a log, it was just some random piece of tree bark sitting around. The reason why I'm not sure it was a colony is becase it was just a group of a few dozen workers under it; I could not detect an entrance anywhere and there was no brood. This genus remains somewhat elusive to me. I noticed that all the nests I've found so far (2) are under logs/wood and have lots of debris under them like leaves and pine needles. Interesting, becuase usually I find no ants with that kind of stuff under rocks and logs. The bark on the bottom right of the picture is what they were under.

 

 

 

 

[Nathant2131]

Formica (fusca-group) sp.

 

Freedom, New Hampshire

5/~27/17

I found a pretty huge colony on the edge of a sandy area and dense forest. This was probably the largest colony (or at least biggest entrance area) I've seen of this species-group, despite it being all the same; I find that this species-group's nest entrances to be pretty distinctive; A large area of low, wide, sandy mounds. The mounds were built againt a small slope too.

 

 

 

 

 

[Nathant2131]

Aphaenogaster sp.

 

Freedom, New Hampshire

5/~27/17

I found a mound of these girls in an open, sandy area surrounded by dense forest. Their hue and nesting behaviour different than the usual grayish black Aphaenogaster I see under logs and bark. I was surprised I spotted the mound, as it was low and was the same color as the substrate around it. It was only one mound, but there were a few entrances. (about 4)