17 replies to this topic

[RequiredField]

1. Location of collection: Suburb outside of Philadelphia, PA
2. Date of collection: 5/27/21
3. Habitat of collection: Suburban backyard.
4. Length: 3mm
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Blackish brown with golden bands around gaster.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: N/A
7. Anything else distinctive: N/A
8. Nest description: Unknown
9. Nuptial flight time and date: Unknown

Attached Images

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Edited by RequiredField, May 27 2021 - 11:21 AM.

[ANTdrew]

My guess would be Tapinoma sessile.

[PetsNotPests]

I agree with T. sesile. I've caught several of these queens this season and they look very similar. 

[VoidElecent]

I think this looks more like Nylanderia sp.

[ZTYguy]

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

[PetsNotPests]

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

N. Parvula queens seem to have larger gasters, but I could be wrong. 

[VoidElecent]

We don't have enough information to determine the species. Nylanderia sp. is as close as were going to get

[Antcatcherpro3]

I am also catching queens that look like this species. 

[ANTS_KL]

Yes they look like nylanderia. Tapinoma look... flatter?

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[Antcatcherpro3]

One of the queens I caught is fertile, I saw the male, so I might be able to ID it after they get workers. That might not be soon though. 

[ANTS_KL]

If they are nylanderia you can get workers at a minimum of around maybe... 1 and a half months? So it's gonna take a while

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[Kaelwizard]

If they are nylanderia you can get workers at a minimum of around maybe... 1 and a half months? So it's gonna take a while

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Tell that to ANTdrew. Pretty sure his grew faster than that.

[ANTS_KL]

Well that's the nylanderia in my country.. they take foreveeeeer. But if yours grow faster then sure.

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[yibsi]

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

 

 

 

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

N. Parvula queens seem to have larger gasters, but I could be wrong. 

 

I'm currently keeping N. parvula, this queen isn't N. parvula, all my parvula queen's antennae are further down on the head, and the eyes on my queens are slightly smaller. As well as the fact that my N. Parvula queen's are also much darker and have larger gastors, and have a slight reddish hint, not a yellowish brown like this queen. This queen is definitely a Nylanderia sp. but not N. parvula.

[ANTdrew]

Queen to nanitics rate is actually not that fast. Five to six weeks, I’d say. Then they really take off!

[RequiredField]

 

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

 

 

 

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

N. Parvula queens seem to have larger gasters, but I could be wrong. 

 

I'm currently keeping N. parvula, this queen isn't N. parvula, all my parvula queen's antennae are further down on the head, and the eyes on my queens are slightly smaller. As well as the fact that my N. Parvula queen's are also much darker and have larger gastors, and have a slight reddish hint, not a yellowish brown like this queen. This queen is definitely a Nylanderia sp. but not N. parvula.

 

Would extra pictures at a higher rez help in any way? The pictures above were taken hastily when the queen was still in the initial shock phase of running around the tube, she's settled now obviously and I'm fairly sure a better camera could capture more detail. As a side note, it's been a madhouse of queens in my backyard recently so I have a tube with multiple queens (and one control tube with just a single queen) already laying and getting along nicely which is definitely consistent with what I've found on Nylandrias.  

[RequiredField]

One of the queens I caught is fertile, I saw the male, so I might be able to ID it after they get workers. That might not be soon though. 

Weird, I also got to catch a glimpse of the male. Not enough to actually remember anything about him but saw him nonetheless. Hopefully these little guys do alright with us. 

[yibsi]

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

 
 

kinda looks like N. parvula. Don't take my word though.

N. Parvula queens seem to have larger gasters, but I could be wrong.

I'm currently keeping N. parvula, this queen isn't N. parvula, all my parvula queen's antennae are further down on the head, and the eyes on my queens are slightly smaller. As well as the fact that my N. Parvula queen's are also much darker and have larger gastors, and have a slight reddish hint, not a yellowish brown like this queen. This queen is definitely a Nylanderia sp. but not N. parvula.

Would extra pictures at a higher rez help in any way? The pictures above were taken hastily when the queen was still in the initial shock phase of running around the tube, she's settled now obviously and I'm fairly sure a better camera could capture more detail. As a side note, it's been a madhouse of queens in my backyard recently so I have a tube with multiple queens (and one control tube with just a single queen) already laying and getting along nicely which is definitely consistent with what I've found on Nylandrias.

She is definitely a species of Nylanderia, however the specific species is hard to determine, especially with Nylanderia, better photos will help, but to know for sure you need a high powered microscope. I think it’s best to just refer to them as Nylanderia Sp. for now.