Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Ant ID


  • Please log in to reply
21 replies to this topic

#1 Offline UtahAnts - Posted November 28 2020 - 7:28 PM

UtahAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 595 posts
  • LocationUtah Valley

1. Location: Utah
2. Date of collection: 6/16/2019
3. Habitat of collection: Rotting Wood
4. Length (from head to gaster): 2-3mm workers, 3.75mm queen
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Brownish/redish workers and queen. Queen has multiple nodes on her abdominal petiole.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Seem to have good vision or some other sense.
7. Distinguishing behavior: Like to nest in completely dry wood, slow growers.

 

IMG-1376 (1).jpg

 

*Note, did the image show up? This is my first time posting images on this forum.

Thanks!


Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#2 Offline Zeiss - Posted November 28 2020 - 7:31 PM

Zeiss

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,226 posts
  • LocationFountain Valley

The image showed up, but it's pretty bad at showing the ants.  If you are using a phone camera, most have a minimum focus range of 3-4 inches.  Do not zoom in too much in the image and make sure you have a lot of light on the subjects.



#3 Offline Manitobant - Posted November 28 2020 - 7:56 PM

Manitobant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,898 posts
  • LocationWinnipeg, Canada
Temnothorax sp, acorn ants.

#4 Offline NickAnter - Posted November 29 2020 - 10:20 AM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California
Its a Myrmicine. that's as far as you can go with these images.
  • Zeiss and TennesseeAnts like this

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). 


#5 Offline Manitobant - Posted November 29 2020 - 10:38 AM

Manitobant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,898 posts
  • LocationWinnipeg, Canada

Its a Myrmicine. that's as far as you can go with these images.

if you look closely at the body shape you can clearly see its temnothorax. The only other myrmicines that nest in that habitat and are around that size are leptothorax and stenamma, but leptothorax are much more elongated and stenamma need super high humidity, so dry wood doesnt fit.

Edited by Manitobant, November 29 2020 - 10:40 AM.


#6 Offline Zeiss - Posted November 29 2020 - 10:43 AM

Zeiss

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,226 posts
  • LocationFountain Valley

 if you look closely at the body shape you can clearly see its temnothorax. The only other myrmicines that nest in that habitat and are around that size are leptothorax and stenamma, but leptothorax are much more elongated and stenamma need super high humidity, so dry wood doesnt fit.

It very well may be a Temonothorax sp., but this image is far too blurry to provide an identification, down to species, with 99% guarantee.


  • gcsnelling and TennesseeAnts like this

#7 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 29 2020 - 12:22 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,376 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA


if you look closely at the body shape you can clearly see its temnothorax. The only other myrmicines that nest in that habitat and are around that size are leptothorax and stenamma, but leptothorax are much more elongated and stenamma need super high humidity, so dry wood doesnt fit.

It very well may be a Temonothorax sp., but this image is far too blurry to provide an identification, down to species, with 99% guarantee.
He wisely only went to genus level, though.
  • gcsnelling, TennesseeAnts, Manitobant and 2 others like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#8 Offline UtahAnts - Posted November 29 2020 - 12:57 PM

UtahAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 595 posts
  • LocationUtah Valley

Sorry about the blurry picture, I believe it is a temnothorax species, but they seem larger than others I have kept in the past. Hence my confusion. Here is another image, not very good quality either though so I apologize.

Attached Images

  • IMG-9834.jpg

Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#9 Offline Manitobant - Posted November 29 2020 - 1:24 PM

Manitobant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,898 posts
  • LocationWinnipeg, Canada
100% temnothorax.

#10 Offline NickAnter - Posted November 29 2020 - 2:45 PM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California

I will agree that this is a Temnothorax sp. Good luck with them!


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). 


#11 Offline Zeiss - Posted November 29 2020 - 5:10 PM

Zeiss

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,226 posts
  • LocationFountain Valley

 

 It very well may be a Temonothorax sp., but this image is far too blurry to provide an identification, down to species, with 99% guarantee.

He wisely only went to genus level, though.

I didn't say it was wrong to do so, I just continued to say it would be impossible to get down to species.



#12 Offline ponerinecat - Posted November 29 2020 - 6:24 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

I'm seeing a rather surprising amount of polymorphism, with color differences among the different sizes. Could you try to get some close up pics?


  • Swirlysnowflake likes this

#13 Offline Manitobant - Posted November 29 2020 - 6:55 PM

Manitobant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,898 posts
  • LocationWinnipeg, Canada

I'm seeing a rather surprising amount of polymorphism, with color differences among the different sizes. Could you try to get some close up pics?

undescribed dulotic temnothorax potentially?

(May be a little outrageous but NA slave making temnothorax arent that well known, i found some over 1000 kilometers from the nearest record)

Edited by Manitobant, November 29 2020 - 6:58 PM.


#14 Offline UtahAnts - Posted February 3 2021 - 5:47 PM

UtahAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 595 posts
  • LocationUtah Valley

Here's another one that's puzzling me:

-found in July, found lots of them running around in wooded hills. Caught 3 and all died within several days, probably due to no host workers. I believe them to be parasitic. Lots of red and black splotches with red head and black abdomen. They were Large Formica queens

Attached Images

  • IMG-0440.JPG

Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#15 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 3 2021 - 6:21 PM

Manitobant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,898 posts
  • LocationWinnipeg, Canada
Parasitic Formica in the rufa group. After some antweb searches, I think I’ve narrowed it down to Formica fossaceps, planipilis and muscescens. I could be entirely wrong, but these look the most like your queen. Also, rufa group are very hard to get a definitive ID on.

EDIT: it could also be Formica laeviceps, I completely forgot that one.

Edited by Manitobant, February 3 2021 - 8:23 PM.

  • UtahAnts likes this

#16 Offline UtahAnts - Posted February 4 2021 - 3:34 PM

UtahAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 595 posts
  • LocationUtah Valley

Sorry to bother you all so much but I've been wondering the species of this Formica queen found in the forest. Its black with gray stripes on the abdomen. I've never seen anything like it. Also, do you think it's claustral or semi- claustral? It has a smaller head so I'm assuming its claustral.

Thanks again

Attached Images

  • IMG-0225.jpg

Edited by AntsUtah, February 4 2021 - 3:35 PM.

  • TennesseeAnts likes this

Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#17 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted February 4 2021 - 3:39 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,920 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Sorry to bother you all so much but I've been wondering the species of this Formica queen found in the forest. Its black with gray stripes on the abdomen. I've never seen anything like it. Also, do you think it's claustral or semi- claustral? It has a smaller head so I'm assuming its claustral.

Thanks again

Formica fusca-group. Impossible to get a definitive ID on that pic alone, though.



#18 Offline UtahAnts - Posted April 10 2021 - 4:57 PM

UtahAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 595 posts
  • LocationUtah Valley

4/10/2020

 

I'm just going to keep using this thread, rather then make a new one every time I'm questioning my ID'ing skills. Both of these colonies were found under rocks near a dry river. The first colony I believe to be Hypoponera opacior or Ponera pennsylvanica. The workers were a little more then 0.5 cm long. 

 

The second colony was much larger in size and these workers had a red thorax, and a black head and gaster. They had the curved back of Camponotus but it might have been segmented, they were moving so fast. These ants were more then 2 cm long, subtle polymorphism was present. 


Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#19 Offline UtahAnts - Posted September 11 2021 - 2:03 PM

UtahAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 595 posts
  • LocationUtah Valley
Distinguishing information:
 
-Found it in a nuptial chamber on Powerhouse Mountain near Springville UT.
-It looks like Formica, but it is slower than other queens I've seen
-Color/texture: black and shiny
-No brood, seems skinny for a claustral queen
-It did have an orange blood sucking mite on it's head, so that might be why it was sluggish.

 

 

 

 

 

Attached Images

  • IMG-2802.jpg

Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#20 Offline SYUTEO - Posted September 11 2021 - 8:13 PM

SYUTEO

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 628 posts
  • LocationMalaysia

I think it's Formica


  • eea likes this

Began antkeeping in 2018  :)

 

All ant journal: https://www.formicul...os-ant-journal/





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users