8 replies to this topic

[Vuldriel]

Location of Collection: USA, Jacksonville, FL - 6/16/2017, my backyard

Date of Collection: 6/16/2017

Habitat of Collection: Half-grass half-dirt backyard, caught on a fence

Length: 5 1/2mm

Coloration: Red Mandibles, Black Head, Front Half of Thorax is Red, Back Half is Black, Petiole is Red, Postpetiole is Black, Gaster is Red and Black striped.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Two Petioles, Visibly Hairless, Eyes undetectable due to being the same color as the head.

Anything Else Distinctive: Spat a clear fluid a few minutes after capture.

Nest Description: There are a number of Solenopsis ants of an undefined species in my backyard, with volcano mounds. There is also one colony of small black-ants under a half-buried stone in my backyard.

 

Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks! 

[Vuldriel]

I'm having some trouble uploading photos...

 

edit: fixed - http://imgur.com/a/f2GvF

Edited by Vuldriel, June 16 2017 - 6:46 PM.

[123LordOfAnts123]

Pseudomyrmex gracilis.

[Vuldriel]

Thanks for the response! I did some research on them and I know now I must feed her maybe twice a week, but are they polygyne?

[123LordOfAnts123]

For the most part, no. Two queens are occasionally found in the same nest but only one does all the laying.

The ant pictured is a worker.

[Vuldriel]

Really? How can you tell? I guess I have to go back outside to catch a queen but after researching their sting I'm scared to do so.

[AntswerMe]

Yeah it's Pseudomyrmex gracilis. Be careful though their stings are very painful.

[123LordOfAnts123]

They're a very timid ant that's highly reluctant to sting. I've broken into hundreds of their nests and they always jump ship rather than defend. Almost all stings occur when these ants are trapped between clothing or stuck in sweat.

[Spamdy]

Lord of ants is correct, these ands are VERY timid. Having many of these ants around me I get to observe them more, when you try to catch them they dash around trying to find a safe location to hide. These ants are so timid that I have NEVER seen them go into the stinging postion. Also when websites say their sting is painful, its not that painful, to replicate their sting with another ant, that ant would be soloenopisis invicta, which dosent hurt that much in my opinion. Though with many of these ants around, I am not intrested on getting a colony of these, their max colony size is tiny, only to reach about 30 workers, maybe a little more. Good luck!