Central Iowa - in my front yard
2. Date of collection:
04-22-17 - mid-day
Supposedly 66degrees but feels MUCH warmer than that. 24% Humidity. 7mph wind.
3. Habitat of collection:
Between ladnscaping bricks I was trying to re-arrange in my yard
4. Length (from head to gaster):
Queen: Roughly 8mm...?
Workers: Roughly 4mm...?
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture:
Dark brown - underside of her gaster is light, almost yellow.
6. Distinguishing characteristics:
In the sun her gaster almost looks clear/shiny...?
Workers smaller than the tetramorium (not 100% on this ID but fairly certain) I saw/fed earlier today.
7. Distinguishing behavior:
Didn't freak out at all when I removed the brick. Slow - but went straight into the little box I was trying to catch her with.
Was immediately, what appeared to be, attacked by the 6th worker I caught (under same brick) and it scared me so I stopped collecting workers... really only saw maybe 3-4more... by attacked I mean she bit on to the queens leg and curled around it. The queen started freaking out and appeared to be pushing her away. *i covered them up when I got inside and wrote this post - just uncovered them and the worker is no longer attached and the queen has all her legs and appears to be moving around fine.
8. Nest description:
Dirt between landscaping bricks - found a few small workers under the same brick but didn't find any brood. Other bricks a few feet away had TONS of workers and tons of brood - not sure if same colony...?
[Images of ant]
***It says I don't have permission to post pictures...?***
Edited by Keymo, April 22 2017 - 6:31 PM.