13 replies to this topic

[ConcordAntman]

1. Location: Concord, MA

2. Date of collection: March 25, 2021
3. Habitat of collection: Suburban/rural yard, forested, adjacent to wetland and farmland
4. Length (from head to gaster): ~7mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Reddish-brown, shiny with darker head and gaster
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Smooth mesosoma, 1-segmented pedicel, non constricted gaster, Ocelli
7. Distinguishing behavior: N/A
8. Nest description: N/A

9. Nuptial flight time and date: March 25, 2021 (no flight witnessed)

 

 

 

My guess is that this is another Camponotus sp (I already have 4) but the head seems too small. I thought it was a male but the gaster suggests otherwise. I’ve proven that my ID’ing skills suck so any help is appreciated!

[M_Ants]

prenolepis imparis

Edited by M_Ants, March 26 2021 - 10:42 AM.

[CheetoLord02]

Prenolepis imparis

[VoidElecent]

Prenolepis imparis! She might be unmated, though.

[Antcatcherpro3]

Prenolepis imparis.

[Chickalo]

i was gonna say prenolepis but now i look like I'm copying D:

judging by the fact I've seen a queen last year and since its march

(also because everyone else is saying it)

[ConcordAntman]

Gee, that was quick! Like I said, my ID’ing skills suck. I’ve got the Field Guide to the Ants of New England beside me and even used a pair of loupes to look at the head. I was positive I saw ocelli  I give up   I’ve got a C. novaeboracensis queen I found May 2020 that still has her wings and is working on her second clutch of eggs (50% loss of her nanitics over diapause). Why do you think she’s unfertilized?

Edited by ConcordAntman, March 26 2021 - 11:11 AM.

[Chickalo]

Like I said, my ID’ing skills suck. I’ve got the Field Guide to the Ants of New England beside me and even used a pair of loupes to look at the head. I was positive I saw ocelli  I give up

haha, it'd be easier when they get workers, in my opinion it's easier to distinguish species via workers rather than queens, examples like Formica and Camponotus since the queens all have smooth mesosomas (not sure about size, maybe that was a crappy choice for an example)

[CheetoLord02]

Gee, that was quick! Like I said, my ID’ing skills suck. I’ve got the Field Guide to the Ants of New England beside me and even used a pair of loupes to look at the head. I was positive I saw ocelli  I give up   I’ve got a C. novaeboracensis queen I found May 2020 that still has her wings and is working on her second clutch of eggs (50% loss of her nanitics over diapause). Why do you think she’s unfertilized?

Prenolepis alates all have ocelli as well. Most alates do. Honestly, the ID is only so easy because Prenolepis are really the only ants that fly this early in the year, aside from maybe Stenamma spp. which are very distinct from Prenolepis.

[TennesseeAnts]

I was going to say Prenolepis imparis, but I suppose you don't need it considering the other replies.

[ANTdrew]

You found something besides Camponotus!

[ConcordAntman]

Yeah, but I was clueless enough that I didn’t even know it  On a serious note, I went back with handheld 15x loupes and with binocular loupes. She’s clearly not interested in holding still so I can check her out, but I’m certain that there’s ocelli or something posterior on the head. Nuptial flight-wise, it’s got to be P. imparis but do they have some kind of markings there on the head?

 

CheetoLord02, just read your post. Thanks for answering my question! So, the workers don’t have ocelli but the alates do? Is that noted in field guides?

Edited by ConcordAntman, March 26 2021 - 3:54 PM.

[CheetoLord02]

Yeah, but I was clueless enough that I didn’t even know it  On a serious note, I went back with handheld 15x loupes and with binocular loupes. She’s clearly not interested in holding still so I can check her out, but I’m certain that there’s ocelli or something posterior on the head. Nuptial flight-wise, it’s got to be P. imparis but do they have some kind of markings there on the head?

 

CheetoLord02, just read your post. Thanks for answering my question! So, the workers don’t have ocelli but the alates do? Is that noted in field guides?

I have no idea if it's noted in guides, but generally speaking for most species the alates have ocelli while the workers do not. Ocelli serve as a tool to help alates navigate in-flight, so typically they are the only ones who have them. Some primitive genera like Pseudomyrmex will also have workers with ocelli, but generally most workers don't and most alates do. The only exception I can think of is ergatoid and dichthadiiform queens may not have ocelli.

[MinigunL5]

As others said it's a Preno queen. They're polygynous and have a relatively low success rate so I suggest you catch more queens next time they fly.