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Ender Ants' Solenopsis cf. molesta Journal

Started By Ender Ants , Jun 10 2020 6:38 PM
solenopsis molesta thief ants solenopsis solenopsis krockowi

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30 replies to this topic

#21 Offline Devi - Posted August 10 2020 - 5:04 AM

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Are solenopsis malesta polygynous?  I found a massive nest that is about ten by ten feet in my backyard with hundreds of elates getting ready for their nuptial flight.  I counted (what I think are) at least ten queens...  but they could just be majors...


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#22 Offline Antkid12 - Posted August 10 2020 - 5:10 AM

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Solenopsis molesta are not polymorphic, So you were most likely queens, and I'm pretty sure they are polygynous.


Edited by Antkid12, August 10 2020 - 5:11 AM.

Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#23 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted August 10 2020 - 5:27 AM

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They are very polygynous.

#24 Offline Devi - Posted August 10 2020 - 5:36 AM

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Thanks, I'm not very familiar with the species. :)


#25 Offline Ender Ants - Posted August 12 2020 - 3:01 PM

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Are solenopsis malesta polygynous?  I found a massive nest that is about ten by ten feet in my backyard with hundreds of elates getting ready for their nuptial flight.  I counted (what I think are) at least ten queens...  but they could just be majors...

My colony isn't polygynous, I think someone replied saying that the eastern ones are, but the western ones aren't. Last year when I caught a lot of these queens I put them together, but all of them fought one another. 


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JOURNALS:

Camponotus fragilis

Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis xyloni

Solenopsis cf. molesta

Crematogaster sp.

Dorymyrmex bicolor

#26 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 12 2020 - 6:23 PM

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Are solenopsis malesta polygynous?  I found a massive nest that is about ten by ten feet in my backyard with hundreds of elates getting ready for their nuptial flight.  I counted (what I think are) at least ten queens...  but they could just be majors...

My colony isn't polygynous, I think someone replied saying that the eastern ones are, but the western ones aren't. Last year when I caught a lot of these queens I put them together, but all of them fought one another. 

 

Western "Solenopsis molesta" don't seem to truly be S. molesta. It does seem to be a regional behavior (polygyny), as you said, however. I am not sure why that is the case, but I'm sure someone else might know.  


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#27 Offline Otter - Posted August 12 2020 - 6:51 PM

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Are solenopsis malesta polygynous?  I found a massive nest that is about ten by ten feet in my backyard with hundreds of elates getting ready for their nuptial flight.  I counted (what I think are) at least ten queens...  but they could just be majors...

My colony isn't polygynous, I think someone replied saying that the eastern ones are, but the western ones aren't. Last year when I caught a lot of these queens I put them together, but all of them fought one another. 

 

Can confirm: 


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https://www.instagra...otters_inverts/

 

#28 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted August 12 2020 - 8:52 PM

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Yeah, this species is most likely not S. molesta, but rather another one of the many "thief ant" species in the southwest. I just caught 2 queens that look identical to yours this morning, and I am positive that they are not S. molesta. This could explain why yours do not appear to be polygynous; because this species may not be.

EDIT: I looked into it a bit more, and our queens are most likely Solenopsis krockowi


Edited by CheetoLord02, August 13 2020 - 2:23 AM.

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#29 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 13 2020 - 6:38 AM

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I think tenneseensis is just as likely. I have seen the wild nests in socal, and they fit their description perfectly.
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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). 

#30 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted August 13 2020 - 1:51 PM

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I think tenneseensis is just as likely. I have seen the wild nests in socal, and they fit their description perfectly.

S. tennesseensis queens are small (only around 3-4mm) and darker in coloration. Granted I don't think Ender Ants posted a size, as this journal isn't really meant to be an ID request, but my queens are 6.5-7mm, and they look basically identical to Ender Ants'


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#31 Offline Ender Ants - Posted August 13 2020 - 4:35 PM

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I think tenneseensis is just as likely. I have seen the wild nests in socal, and they fit their description perfectly.

S. tennesseensis queens are small (only around 3-4mm) and darker in coloration. Granted I don't think Ender Ants posted a size, as this journal isn't really meant to be an ID request, but my queens are 6.5-7mm, and they look basically identical to Ender Ants'

 

I was thinking krockowi too, I just haven't seen a lot of photos to confirm. My queens are around 4mm, and the drones are 3mm. 

 

Queen:

Vi4oATJ.jpg

 

Drone:

yrEYi7J.jpg


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JOURNALS:

Camponotus fragilis

Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis xyloni

Solenopsis cf. molesta

Crematogaster sp.

Dorymyrmex bicolor

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Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: solenopsis molesta, thief ants, solenopsis, solenopsis krockowi

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