5 replies to this topic

[hazelceleste]

So what do I have here? I’m really new to ants, but my guess is a male, some sort of camponotus? 

 

Location: Staten Island, NY

Date: 6/28/20

Habitat: Suburban backyard with a decent amount of plants

Length: 6mm

Coloration: I’m having a hard time with this, but smooth black body, black and brown legs, black and beige striped wings? 

Distinguishing characteristics: I saw a few similar ants flying around. This was the only one that didn’t fly off when I tried to grab it. 

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[gcsnelling]

Diptera, Micropezidae

Edited by gcsnelling, June 28 2020 - 4:50 PM.

[TheMicroPlanet]

In other words, it's not an ant. It's more closely related to flies.

Edited by TheMicroPlanet, June 28 2020 - 5:04 PM.

[hazelceleste]

Thanks. I’m glad I didn’t try to start a colony 😂

Now that I know what I’m looking at, the long legs are really obvious.

[Froggy]

Queens tend to have larger gasters and taller thoraxes, males look more like wasps and have smaller heads (Semi claustral queens tend to look more like workers),  here's an image with three castes of a Camponotus sp.

Also, mated queens don't normally try to fly when you try to catch them

[ponerinecat]

In other words, it's not an ant. It's more closely related to flies.

Not closely related, it is a fly. Stilt legged fly.