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Ant ID Please


Best Answer OiledOlives , February 15 2023 - 7:48 AM

This is a Crematogastrini, most likely Temnothorax longispinosus.

It is not Monomorium because spines are quite clearly visible.

It isn't Myrmica either, which are much larger and look completely different.

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#1 Offline rptraut - Posted February 14 2023 - 11:17 PM

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I found these ants in a woodlot not far from my house and they live in my garden as well.  I live just north of London, Ontario, Canada where we have clay loam soil.  I don't know much about these ants, nuptial flights etc, but I do know that, even when a colony is small, they are active foragers and seem to like a variety of foods.  Workers are about 2-2.5 mm long and they are very black and very shiny.  The thorax is duller than the head and gaster.  Thank you in advance for your help with this identification.

 

 

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I am amazed that I can take such magnified pictures of such small ants with a phone and a couple of clip-on lenses!


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My father always said I had ants in my pants.

#2 Offline Zeiss - Posted February 15 2023 - 12:53 AM

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I'm wanting to say this is a species of Myrmica, but I can't say much more without clearer photos or a more detailed description of the ants.  



#3 Offline antsriondel - Posted February 15 2023 - 6:43 AM

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It looks a lot like Monomorium minimum, but I cannot guarantee unless if you get some better lighting.



#4 Offline OiledOlives - Posted February 15 2023 - 7:48 AM   Best Answer

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This is a Crematogastrini, most likely Temnothorax longispinosus.

It is not Monomorium because spines are quite clearly visible.

It isn't Myrmica either, which are much larger and look completely different.

Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk
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#5 Offline Zeiss - Posted February 15 2023 - 3:16 PM

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This is a Crematogastrini, most likely Temnothorax longispinosus.

It is not Monomorium because spines are quite clearly visible.

It isn't Myrmica either, which are much larger and look completely different.

Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk

There are some species of Myrmica that do sit around 2-2.5mm in length and are present in Ontario, Canada.

 

I do, however, agree that these are instead Temnothorax longispinosus after looking at some better specimen photos online.



#6 Offline NickAnter - Posted February 15 2023 - 6:06 PM

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I would agree with T. longispinosus.


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). 


#7 Offline rptraut - Posted February 15 2023 - 7:02 PM

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Thanks for your help with this identification.  I tried to keep these kinds of ants before when I bought three queens.  They never amounted to much and gradually died off one by one.  This colony seems quite active and forage quite a bit more than the Temnothorax curvispinosis colonies that I keep.  I'm looking forward to keeping these girls as they are already very entertaining.  


My father always said I had ants in my pants.




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