10 replies to this topic

[CallMeCraven]

1. Location of collection (ie: park/area, city/town, state/province, country). Elko County, right on he NV/ID border, Jarbidge Mountains

2. Date of collection (more important for ID's of queens). 8/22/17
3. Habitat of collection (ie: desert scrub, oak forest, riparian, etc.). Sagebrush steppe,  roughly 7000' elevation
4. Length (to the nearest millimeter or 1/16th of an inch.) 5mm
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Black/dark brown, head and mandible areas dark red.
6. Distinguishing characteristics 2 petiole nodes with small sharp bump on the first node.
7. Anything else distinctive (ie: odor, behavior, characteristics relative to others in the colony, etc.). Caught during a nuptial flight of thousands before a thunderstorm. Four pulled their wings, the rest (roughly 20) do have not. I caught several with drones still attached.
8. Nest description (if you can find the nest, and you're sure it belongs to the ant you collected) (ie: rotted log, volcano-shaped mound of coarse gavel 10cm in diameter, etc.). Could not find.
9 . Pictures

 

 

I appreciate any help with the ant, I couldn't offer a lot of info on them as I was workign when they where flying and was doing multiple things. Bonus points for manits ID.

Edited by CallMeCraven, August 25 2017 - 5:21 PM.

[T.C.]

Ants look like tetramorium, but late for their flights. The mantis I believe to be Tenodera sinensis.

[CallMeCraven]

Thanks, that would be disturbing... the survey area is supposed to be some of the most pristine designated wilderness in NV. It would be alright to start at polygenus colony though.

Edited by CallMeCraven, August 25 2017 - 5:49 PM.

[Leo]

did you keep the mantis?

[NZAntKeeper]

Crematogaster?

[CallMeCraven]

did you keep the mantis?

No, it was in the back of our truck as we where loading up to go to the field, when I came back outside, it was gone.

[Martialis]

Aren't those Tenodera, like, really invasive?

[Jonathan21700]

I don't think these are Tetramorium . Somewhat they look a bit like Aphaenogaster and Pheidole also Crematogaster at the same time. 

Can you make some pictures of a queen out of the test tube?

Edited by Jonathan21700, August 26 2017 - 1:30 PM.

[VoidElecent]

 Crematogaster sp.

[Connectimyrmex]

I agree with Void. They are Crematogaster (they have the signature abdomen and head shape)

[CallMeCraven]

I don't think these are Tetramorium . Somewhat they look a bit like Aphaenogaster and Pheidole also Crematogaster at the same time. 

Can you make some pictures of a queen out of the test tube?

When some of less fortunate ones start to die, ill take them out and take better pics. Most of them still have their wings so when I open them up they go crazy and try to fly everywhere. I want to leave the four without wings alone for now and see if they start up a colony.

 

I agree with Void. They are Crematogaster (they have the signature abdomen and head shape)

This ID is much more appealing then Tetramorium, considering where i caught the ants. I guess once some of the unmated queens die off I will separate out the survivors into their own tubes.