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Backyard Ant Census


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#1 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 11:13 AM

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Hi everyone. So, I thought i'd make a list of all the kinds of ants I know of in my backyard, but instead of keeping it to myself, I thought i'd share it...

 

  1. Tetramorium immigrans
  2. Ponera pennsylvanica
  3. Formica integra*
  4. Formica neogagates*
  5. Big Orange Lasius*
  6. Little Orange Lasius*
  7. Lasius neoniger
  8. Camponotus pennsylvanicus
  9. Camponotus chromaiodes
  10. Camponotus americanus
  11. Prenolepis imparis
  12. Dorymyrmex grandulus**
  13. Myrmica*
  14. Temnothorax** ***(16)
  15. Crematogaster*
  16. Solenopsis* ***(14)

* In need of species ID

** Dubious/In need of verification (ID requests hopefully coming soon)

*** Might be the same ant as (#)


Edited by TheMicroPlanet, May 27 2020 - 5:55 AM.

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#2 Offline AntsDakota - Posted May 2 2020 - 11:31 AM

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Queens:

Brachymyrmex depilis

Formica sp. 3

Leptothorax sp.

Tetramorium immigrans (haven't seen any queens yet, but they're in the neighborhood, probably will find some this year)

 

Colonies:

 

Formica sp. 1

Formica sp. 2

Lasius neoniger

Lasius americanus

Tapinoma sessile

Solenopsis molesta

 

Unfortunately that's it for me...........  :( 
 


Edited by AntsDakota, May 2 2020 - 12:19 PM.

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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#3 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 11:35 AM

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I did some more snooping around and there's actually quite a few P. pennsylvanica colonies around, all of which are somewhere under rocks. I have a feeling there's more; sneaky little things, those Ponera. Of course, if I had to name the most common species in my backyard it'd probably be T. immigrans, unfortunately.


Formica sp. 1

Formica sp. 2

Lasius neoniger

Lasius americanus

Tapinoma sessile

Solenopsis molesta

 

Unfortunately that's it for me...........  :( 
 

Not even any camponotus?



#4 Offline AntsDakota - Posted May 2 2020 - 11:37 AM

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Nope. Camponotus aren't that common around here. I rarely see any colonies anywhere. Ironically, though, I can always find queens, so they're around somewhere......... 

 

I did see one worker on my fence once, but that's it. Didn't see that as worth mentioning.


Edited by AntsDakota, May 2 2020 - 11:38 AM.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#5 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 2 2020 - 11:54 AM

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Well, colonies, or species of queens?

 

Queens/males:

Solenopsis xyloni

Solenopsis molesta

Monomorium sp

Strumigenys membranifera

Hypoponera spp

Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Nylanderia vividula

Pheidole navigans

Cardiocondyla mauritanica

Cardiocondyla minutior

Dorymyrmex insanus

Solenopsis truncorum

Myrmentoma sp

Crematogaster sp.

Tetramorium bicarinatum

Pheidole sp.

In terms of workers for my yard: Hypoponera spp, Pheidole navigans, Nylanderia vividula, Cardiocondyla spp, Linepithema humile, Brachymyrmex patagonicus, and Strumigenys membranifera.


Edited by NickAnter, August 2 2021 - 8:02 PM.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#6 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 11:56 AM

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Just any species that you know lives on your property, regardless of caste. I originally posted this thread to share my own threshold of micro-nations, but I think it's great that others are doing it too  :)


Edited by TheMicroPlanet, May 2 2020 - 11:56 AM.


#7 Offline AntsDakota - Posted May 2 2020 - 12:17 PM

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Oh- queens count too? I'll update my list.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#8 Offline BugFinder - Posted May 2 2020 - 12:32 PM

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Hi everyone. So, I thought i'd make a list of all the kinds of ants I know of in my backyard, but instead of keeping it to myself, I thought i'd share it...

 

  1. Tetramorium immigrans
  2. Ponera pennsylvanica
  3. Formica*
  4. Big Orange Lasius*
  5. Little Orange Lasius*
  6. Little Brown Lasius*
  7. Camponotus pennsylvanicus
  8. Camponotus chromaiodes
  9. Prenolepis imparis
  10. Tapinoma sessile**
  11. Dorymyrmex**
  12. Aphaenogaster*

* In need of species ID

** Dubious/In need of verification (ID requests hopefully coming soon)

 

wow what a diverse back yard you have there - it must make collecting a lot of fun!!


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“If an ant carries an object a hundred times its weight, you can carry burdens many times your size.”  ― Matshona Dhliwayo

 

My Journals:

Pogonomyrmex subdentatus

Camponotus Vicinus

Camponotus sansabeanus

Tetramorium (sp)

Pogonomyrmex Californicus

My Ant Goals!


#9 Offline AntsDakota - Posted May 2 2020 - 12:35 PM

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Well, there's a wooded area practically in Ants_Dakota's backyard which is almost as diverse as TMP's. Here's it's diversity (so far):

 

Aphaenogaster tennesseenis

Aphaenogaster rudis

Formica subsericea

Lasius americanus

Lasius brevicornis

Lasius neoniger

Myrmica sp.

Ponera pennsylvanica

Prenolepis imparis


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#10 Offline BugFinder - Posted May 2 2020 - 12:38 PM

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I'm jealous.  I live in the city.  I have to drive to collect ants, although occasionally I collect them at work, like I did my pavement ant colony.


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“If an ant carries an object a hundred times its weight, you can carry burdens many times your size.”  ― Matshona Dhliwayo

 

My Journals:

Pogonomyrmex subdentatus

Camponotus Vicinus

Camponotus sansabeanus

Tetramorium (sp)

Pogonomyrmex Californicus

My Ant Goals!


#11 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 12:42 PM

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I found what I think might be Temnothorax. I'll add it to this list, and try to get an ID soon. There's a tree in my backyard that's just teeming what all sorts of ants, including cf. Temnothorax, C. chromaiodes, C. pennsylvanicus, Dorymyrmex (which, upon further research, might actually be Dorymyrmex), Aphaenogaster, and probably a lot more.


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#12 Offline AntsDakota - Posted May 2 2020 - 12:43 PM

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 Dorymyrmex (which, upon further research, might actually be Dorymyrmex)

did you mean the Tapinoma could be Dorymyrmex?


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#13 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 12:46 PM

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 Dorymyrmex (which, upon further research, might actually be Dorymyrmex)

did you mean the Tapinoma could be Dorymyrmex?

 

No, I mean what I thought was some kind of Dorymyrmex might actually be some kind of Dorymyrmex. I've been looking up pictures, and they seem to match up for the most part. I'll get an ID Request out for them sometime, but for now all I can say is that they look like Dorymyrmex and they're black. It could be D. grandulus, actually.

 

Also, Dorymyrmex is bigger than Tapinoma, right?


Edited by TheMicroPlanet, May 2 2020 - 12:53 PM.

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#14 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 2 2020 - 1:05 PM

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I have too many ants in my neighborhood, quite a few I don't bother with identifying. Three major habitats in one spot with multiple mini areas scattered in between... now stretch that across a valley. Too much stuff to explore.


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#15 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 1:24 PM

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Hi everyone. So, I thought i'd make a list of all the kinds of ants I know of in my backyard, but instead of keeping it to myself, I thought i'd share it...

 

  1. Tetramorium immigrans
  2. Ponera pennsylvanica
  3. Formica*
  4. Big Orange Lasius*
  5. Little Orange Lasius*
  6. Little Brown Lasius*
  7. Camponotus pennsylvanicus
  8. Camponotus chromaiodes
  9. Prenolepis imparis
  10. Tapinoma sessile**
  11. Dorymyrmex**
  12. Aphaenogaster*

* In need of species ID

** Dubious/In need of verification (ID requests hopefully coming soon)

 

wow what a diverse back yard you have there - it must make collecting a lot of fun!!

 

The best part is that 1) I've only started scouting about for a few weeks, so i'm sure there's more to be found, and 2) i haven't even checked my front yard yet.


Edited by TheMicroPlanet, May 2 2020 - 1:25 PM.

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#16 Online ANTdrew - Posted May 2 2020 - 1:28 PM

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Here’s my census in order of prevalence:
Tapinoma sessile
Crematogaster cerasi
Tetramorium immigrans
Monomorium minimum
Solenopsis molesta
Camponotus chromaiodes
Camponotus nearcticus
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Camponotus subbarbatus
Prenolepis imparis
Lasius neoniger/ americanus
Lasius claviger
Nylanderia bourbonica
Aphaenogaster cf rudis
Pheidole cf dentata
Camponotus castaneus (dead workers in spider web)
There may be some cryptic things, too, but I don’t know much about those sort of ants.

Edited by ANTdrew, May 2 2020 - 1:34 PM.

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#17 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 2 2020 - 1:31 PM

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Nice. I should get around to listing my local ants sometime.


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#18 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 3:05 PM

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Alright, new development: What I thought was the Little Brown Lasius might actually be the same ant as the one I think is Tapinoma sessile. Of course, i'm still unsure of what it is specifically (genus and species-wise), but i'm pretty sure they're the same ant.


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#19 Offline Canadian anter - Posted May 2 2020 - 3:35 PM

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Colonies

Brachymyrmex depilis

Formica subsericea

Formica podzolica

Lasius brevicornis

Lasius claviger

Lasius neoniger

Lasius pallitarsis

Leptothorax muscorum

Myrmica rubra

Myrmica incompleta

Ponera pennsylvanica

Solenopsis molesta

Tapinoma sessile

Tetramorium immigrans

Temnothorax curvispinosus

 

Queens

Anergates atratulus (Seen once and never again)

Brachymyrmex depilis

Camponotus novaeborecensis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Crematogaster cerasi

Formica subsericea

Formica podzolica

Lasius aphidcola

Lasius brevicornis

Lasius claviger

Lasius interjectus

Lasius minutus

Lasius neoniger

Lasius pallitarsis

Lasius speculiventris

Leptothorax muscorum

Myrmecina americana

Myrmica rubra

Myrmica incompleta

Myrmica pinetorum

Myrmica cf. punctiventris

Ponera pennsylvanica

Solenopsis molesta

Stenamma diecki

Tapinoma sessile

Tetramorium immigrans

Temnothorax ambiguus

Temnothorax curvispinosus

Temnothorax minutissimus

 

Keep in mind my area's not as diverse as it looks...just done extensive collecting, and it's 99.99% Myrmica rubra


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#20 Offline Manitobant - Posted May 2 2020 - 3:50 PM

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My census:
Brachymyrmex depilis
Camponotus herculeanus
Camponotus nearcticus
Camponotus novaeboracensis
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Dolichoderus taschenbergi
Formica aserva
Formica limata
Formica Montana
Formica neoclara
Formica rubicunda
Formida subintegra
Formica subaenescens
Formica subsericea
Formica ulkei
Lasius aphidicola
Lasius Americanus
Lasius pallitarsis
Lasius subumbratus
Leptothorax canadensis
Myrmica americana
Myrmica brevispinosa
Myrmica incompleta
Polyergus mexicanus
Solenopsis molesta
Tapinoma sessile

Edited by Manitobant, May 2 2020 - 3:51 PM.

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