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Spanish Wells, Bahamas (7/14/17)


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7 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted July 14 2017 - 9:13 AM

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1. Location (on a map) of collection: Spanish Wells (Small island, 2 miles long and 1 mile wide), Bahamas
2. Date of collection: 7/13/17
3. Habitat of collection: Beach.
4. Length (from head to gaster): Minors are ~4 mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown/black gaster. Dark red mesosoma and head.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Postpetiole present. Antennal club present.
7. Distinguishing behavior:
8. Nest description: An area of at least a dozen mounds. The mounds are low, inconspicuous, and have the same substrate as the beach sand.

 

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Edited by Nathant2131, July 14 2017 - 10:39 AM.


#2 Offline VoidElecent - Posted July 14 2017 - 10:42 AM

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This looks like a Solenopsis species to me. Does it sting or bite?



#3 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted July 14 2017 - 10:45 AM

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This looks like a Solenopsis species to me. Does it sting or bite?

Not sure. I was thinking of sticking my finger in a mound or something to test their aggresiveness, since they do look like Solenopsis invicta. But that would hurt :tongue2:



#4 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted July 14 2017 - 10:52 AM

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oops


Edited by Nathant2131, July 14 2017 - 10:52 AM.


#5 Offline cpman - Posted July 14 2017 - 11:37 AM

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Definatey Solenopsis sp.

Judging by the lack of majors with large heads, probably S. invicta as you guessed.

#6 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted July 14 2017 - 11:56 AM

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Definatey Solenopsis sp.

Judging by the lack of majors with large heads, probably S. invicta as you guessed.

Actually, there was a different worker caste coming out occasionally from the nest entrances that were bigger than the minors but still had smallish heads. I thought they were medias but didn't know that the majors of this species don't have big heads. Maybe it was them. I have some not-good pics of one of them, I'll post it later. Don't have measurements though :(


Edited by Nathant2131, July 14 2017 - 12:00 PM.


#7 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted July 14 2017 - 1:20 PM

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Horrible pic, but you can see her next to a minor.

 

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#8 Offline cpman - Posted July 14 2017 - 1:24 PM

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Definatey Solenopsis sp.

Judging by the lack of majors with large heads, probably S. invicta as you guessed.

Actually, there was a different worker caste coming out occasionally from the nest entrances that were bigger than the minors but still had smallish heads. I thought they were medias but didn't know that the majors of this species don't have big heads. Maybe it was them. I have some not-good pics of one of them, I'll post it later. Don't have measurements though :(
Big headed majors (with a deep groove) would make it S. geminata -- the other fire ant in the Bahamas.

The other way to tell is S. invicta has a tooth in the middle of the clypeus, while S. geminata does not.

Your photos look generally more like S. invicta to me, because of the somewhat darker coloration (but I may be conflating the fact that the S. geminata native to where I am is generally lighter colored)

EDIT: Your new photo also seems to suggest S. invicta to me.

Edited by cpman, July 14 2017 - 1:26 PM.

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