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Tiny ants in kitchen in Dallas, TX suburb

Started By rac59 , Jun 6 2021 7:03 PM

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11 replies to this topic

#1 Offline rac59 - Posted June 6 2021 - 7:03 PM

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We had these ants all over our kitchen table last week. We had a bug company come out and spray, and a few days later these ants were back (early June). They are tiny. We don't even know for sure they are ants. Any ideas what they are? Sorry the photos are so bad, I have short video clips that came through better but which I can't attach here.

#2 Offline Manitobant - Posted June 6 2021 - 7:09 PM

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LocationWinnipeg, Canada

Tapinoma melanocephalum I think.

My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#3 Offline ANTS_KL - Posted June 6 2021 - 11:27 PM

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LocationMalaysia

Melano aren't white. Seems like Plagioplepis alluaudi

Sent from my CPH2201 using Tapatalk

Edited by ANTS_KL, June 6 2021 - 11:27 PM.

Young ant keeper with a decent amount of knowledge on local ant species.

YouTube: https://m.youtube.co...uKsahGliSH7EqOQ (It's pretty dead. Might upload again soon, don't expect my voice to sound the same though.)

Currently kept ant species, favorites have a star in front of their names (NOT in alphabetical order, also may be outdated sometimes): ★ Camponotus irritans inferior, ★ Ooceraea biroi, Pheidole parva, ★ Nylanderia sp., ★ Paraparatrechina tapinomoides, Platythyrea sp., Anochetus sp., Colobopsis sp. (cylindrica group), ★ Crematogaster ferrarii, Polyrhachis (Myrma) cf. pruinosa, Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) laevissima, Tapinoma sp. (formerly Zatapinoma)

Death count: Probably over a hundred individual queens and colonies by now. I cannot recall whatsoever.

#4 Offline Chickalo - Posted June 7 2021 - 4:24 AM

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LocationSalem, Massachusetts

This message isn't an ID guess (my best guess would be Tapinoma) but don't spray them. It doesn't keep them at bay for a while. If you sprayed your entire house they likely live elsewhere and use your house to forage. Ants have queens which lay eggs to keep the colony alive. As long as the queen is alive with a few workers they will come back. Spraying them is basically just a waste of money and useless killing.

シグナチャーです。예.

#5 Offline rac59 - Posted June 7 2021 - 4:50 AM

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Thank you for your response! Besides trying to keep a clean kitchen, is there another remedy you would recommend for keeping them out of the house?

#6 Offline rac59 - Posted June 7 2021 - 5:02 AM

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Melano aren't white. Seems like Plagioplepis alluaudi

Sent from my CPH2201 using Tapatalk

I looked up videos of both species. If it has to be one or the other, they look more like Plagioplepis alluaudi to me. Thanks all for their responses! I wasn't even sure they were ants at all, but this increases my confidence that they are.

#7 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 7 2021 - 6:13 AM

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LocationOrange County, California

I doubt this is Plagiolepis all the way up in Dallas. I would guess a Nylanderia or Brachymyrmex sp.

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).

#8 Offline ANTS_KL - Posted June 7 2021 - 6:30 AM

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I doubt this is Plagiolepis all the way up in Dallas. I would guess a Nylanderia or Brachymyrmex sp.

Actually brachymyrmex sounds more accurate. Nonetheless these ants are not to be trusted

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#9 Offline ponerinecat - Posted June 7 2021 - 9:31 AM

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This is Nylanderia or T. melanococephalum. Brachymyrmex and Plagiolepis are much stockier.

Edited by ponerinecat, June 7 2021 - 9:32 AM.

#10 Offline rac59 - Posted June 7 2021 - 11:18 AM

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This is Nylanderia or T. melanococephalum. Brachymyrmex and Plagiolepis are much stockier.

Very interesting! I am anything but an ant expert, but the ants in my kitchen look lighter in color than the Nylanderia or T. melancocephalum I pull up in Google images.