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Alate ID (Camponotus sp.) (Crystal Lake, Azusa Canyon) (4-5-2014) [LARGE IMAGES]


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15 replies to this topic

#1 Offline nurbs - Posted April 8 2014 - 8:06 PM

nurbs

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Found these while hiking up in the mountains this past weekend... it is Camponotus for sure, but not sure about the species.

 

Location of collection: Crystal Lake, Azusa Canyon

 

Date of collection: 4-5-2014

 

Habitat of collection: Woodlands/Forest Mountain top flat

 

Length (from head to gaster): female about 5/8 inch or 16mm, males 3/8th or 9.5mm

 

Color, hue, pattern and texture: red and black

Distinguishing characteristics: Major worked have much larger heads than the queen
 

tumblr_n3qwn8ndib1sy9qhwo4_1280.jpg

 

tumblr_n3qwn8ndib1sy9qhwo1_1280.jpg

tumblr_n3qwn8ndib1sy9qhwo2_1280.jpg

tumblr_n3qwn8ndib1sy9qhwo5_1280.jpg


Edited by nurbs, April 10 2014 - 8:46 PM.

Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#2 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 9 2014 - 6:42 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I found about 18 more of these (dealates) last night on Ice House Canyon Trail near Mt. Baldy, CA. This time I was able to see the nests they were coming from, and it is the nests that I have always believed were C. anthrax. James C. Trager thinks they are C. sansabeanus based on length and structure of antennal scapes. After seeing these again last night and comparing the pictures on AntWeb, C. sansabeanus seems much more likely. I grabbed a major worker from one of the nests so I'll be getting some microscope pictures of it, which should give us a definite answer.



#3 Offline nurbs - Posted April 9 2014 - 9:13 AM

nurbs

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Here is a C. sansabeanus pic from Alex Wild (top left image) of the major and minor worker... looks exactly like the workers I saw, coloring and size.

 

 

http://www.discoverl...tus sansabeanus


Edited by nurbs, April 9 2014 - 9:14 AM.

Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#4 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 9 2014 - 11:32 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

There is a few species including this one that all have the same coloring. The only real way to really know what species they are is to key them out with a microscope.



#5 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 9 2014 - 3:15 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I just realized I might have two different species here, so now this is going to get confusing since I don't actually have alates that I know came from the specific workers I have.

 

Nurbs, would you be able to take the wings off one of those alates and get a picture with pure white lighting?



#6 Offline nurbs - Posted April 9 2014 - 11:37 PM

nurbs

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Yup, one wing has already come off of one alate, so might just wait it out. Will also be out again this Saturday or Sunday.


Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 10 2014 - 5:44 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I'm going back out to Mt. Baldy again today, so I'm going to try to get some alates and their associated workers that I'll be able to pin up.



#8 Offline nurbs - Posted April 10 2014 - 8:03 PM

nurbs

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Here ya go... one of them shed their wings...
 
tumblr_n3ulv7LAWK1sy9qhwo1_1280.jpg
 
tumblr_n3ulv7LAWK1sy9qhwo2_1280.jpg
 
tumblr_n3ulv7LAWK1sy9qhwo3_1280.jpg

Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#9 Offline Febrezeefresh - Posted April 10 2014 - 10:43 PM

Febrezeefresh

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Awesome pictures! What are you taking them with?



#10 Offline nurbs - Posted April 10 2014 - 11:16 PM

nurbs

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Thanks, I am using a Canon with a 100mm macro lens.


Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#11 Offline nurbs - Posted April 10 2014 - 11:18 PM

nurbs

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For size comparision... next to a colony of C. clarithorax...

 

tumblr_n3uux5TODM1sy9qhwo1_1280.jpg


Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#12 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 10 2014 - 11:27 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

These things are massive. BTW, I know exactly which of the two species I found match yours exactly. They are more red than the other species I found. Also the underside of the thorax is also that color showing a bit of the color at the very back of the thorax when looking at it from the top. I have an alate and a major of this species now, so I should have the ID soon. :)



#13 Offline nurbs - Posted April 10 2014 - 11:37 PM

nurbs

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Yep, they are massive. One of the reasons I like them. 

 

The C. quercicola major I caught a few months ago in this exact same area was even larger.


Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#14 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 10 2014 - 11:47 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Bryan Verska found a dealate queen of that species while we were out there. So lucky...



#15 Offline nurbs - Posted April 10 2014 - 11:51 PM

nurbs

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Sweet! Ask him to take some pics... did he find them at dusk or at night? Think you can only find them at night... according to this paper I read they are strictly nocturnal.


Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#16 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 11 2014 - 7:12 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Yeah, I'm pretty sure most all Camponotus are nocturnal, and a lot of them have crepuscular nuptial flights. There are some I think, or at least I know that C. laevigatus (another all black one) does forage during the day sometimes.
 
Bryan found the C. quercicola at the same time we found all the other Camponotus queens--about an hour after it got dark.






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