1099 replies to this topic

[Barristan]

Camponotus cruentatus workers storing brood over the heat mat.

 

[Ernteameise]

Acanthomyrmex thailandensis major

 

[Yusteponant]

Nice photos!

[kalimant]

Acanthomyrmex thailandensis major

 

 

 

Acanthomyrmex is such a weird little genus. I like them because of the dimorphism, just like in my fav genus, Pheidole.

[kalimant]

Pheidole bilimeki soldier with cookie bait.

 

Have no idea whether my ID is correct at this point, but found these cute little critters in a town's downtown in central FL.

 

https://keyapa.com/p...orangey-townie/

 

The soldiers are somewhat timid, but were adept at being able to handle a Pheidole obscurithorax minor that was too inquisitive about the bait I had used to find them

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Edited by kalimant, October 10 2024 - 7:22 PM.

[kalimant]

Huge Solenopsis invicta striding past the dead bodies of Pheidole megacephala killed by its brethren. Note the size of the P. megacephala soldier to its right for comparison.

 

 

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[kalimant]

Pheidole megacephala minor worker confronting Pheidole obscurithorax soldiers

 

https://keyapa.com/p...-confrontation/

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Edited by kalimant, November 13 2024 - 6:42 AM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Pheidole megacephala minor worker confronting Pheidole obscurithorax soldiers

 

https://keyapa.com/p...-confrontation/

Wow, she does not know what is coming because looking at the Pheidole obscurithorax majors’ mandibles, they are a predatory species specializing in killing live prey / ants

[kalimant]

 

Pheidole megacephala minor worker confronting Pheidole obscurithorax soldiers

 

https://keyapa.com/p...-confrontation/

Wow, she does not know what is coming because looking at the Pheidole obscurithorax majors’ mandibles, they are a predatory species specializing in killing live prey / ants

 

 

Actually, the aggressors in this case are the P. megacephala. Although each individual P. obscurithorax soldier is significantly stronger than even the P. megacephala soldiers, the numbers are on the side of the latter. I expect the larger species to abscond from their nest in the next few days as this P. megacephala node is very large and is expanding. 

This P. obscurithorax soldier got mobbed by P. megacephala minors, but later managed to extricate itself. The soldiers are seriously strong.

 

 

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[Leo]

Nylanderia emmae in a fungus covered chamber

 

Camponotus vs Paratrechina

 

Myrmecina (mite eating ants), fairly uncommon genus

 

Chronoxenus social parasite being attacked by host Tapinoma workers

 

Large Tapinoma melanocephalum nest

 

Strumigenys cf. nanzanensis nesting next to Nylanderia emmae

Edited by Leo, February 15 2025 - 6:09 PM.

[Voidley]

Beautiful! I love the colors in your photos!

[eea]

Why is the Nylanderia chamber covered in fungus?

[ReignofRage]

I recently went out to collect specimens of California's Solenopsis "aurea." If they look like S. xyloni to you, that's because they are actually an undescribed sister species to the taxon S. xyloni. This species only exists in the Salton Trough, along the Colorado River, and are scattered through other adjacent areas. This fire ant species forms a group with the S. xyloni (which is actually 4 different species!), which is a sister group to the group formed by S. ambylchila and S. aurea. The following photos display both full-size majors, minors, and those in between.

 

[IdioticMouse26]

Photography of critters I found during my trip to Vietnam!

 

Termites(obviously not ants but still cool!):

I accidently crushed a worker while I was carefully making a small opening on their tunnel. I'm sorry little termite, RIP. 

 

 

 

Tarantula Hawk-looking wasp:

 

Tetraponera sp. (?)

It was foraging on the dead wasp.

 

Edited by IdioticMouse26, April 18 2025 - 1:43 AM.

[Leo]

Pheidole vs Carebara

 

Pheidole vs Carebara part 2
 

Rostrastruma stenoceps, fairly rare species

 

Strumigenys feae, largest strumi in HK

 

Dilobocondyla propotriangulata, also fairly rare species

 

Camponotus lianghuang, undescribed species

 

 

Some non ants:

 

Big [censored] centipede

 

Rather well camoflaged spider

 

 

Futsing's wolf snake

[WideBrownLand]

Hi guys, I have been a bit slack lately and haven't posted anything for a while. I recently moved to another state and with that came new ant species to discover. In order, Pseudneoponera sp., Leptogenys sp., Meranoplus sp., and a species of Rhytidoponera. A bit harder to get ants identified out here because no one really lives out here and are familiar with the ants. I will post more when I come across them.

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[WideBrownLand]

Some of the Camponotus species I have seen since moving to Central Australia.

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[WideBrownLand]

A few more ants that I have found here in Central Australia. A Myrmecia desertorum, an unknown Polyrhachis sp., a Opisthopsis haddoni, and a Pheidole sp. 

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[Leo]

Carebara altinodus

Fairly common species of Carebara. Queens look very similar to majors, and minors have surprisingly painful stings despite being ~1-2mm

 

Leptogenys rufida

Fairly rare species of Leptogenys, nests in soil.

 

Leptogenys rufida

 

Calyptomyrmex rectopilosus

Cute little worker with a lot of erect hairs all over. One of the less interesting Calyptomyrmex though.

 

Strumigenys rallarhina

Queen

 

Strumigenys rallarhina

A cool bit of grooming

 

Hypoponera sp

 

Aenictus sp. (Laeviceps-group)

A lil mite on a ride! Wheeee

 

Phlogiellus sp.

Big Mama

Edited by Leo, July 28 2025 - 7:33 AM.

[Leo]

Went to Borneo recently, was a bit of a lazy bum so I didn't get a photo of everything but here's some interesting inverts.

 

Myrmicaria melanogaster

Fairly common semi-arboreal species in Danum rainforest. Makes carton nests in trees.

 

Polyrhachis sp (Subg Myrma)

Might be an undescribed species actually, couldn't find any literature describing a species with an iridescent blue abdomen.

 

Leptogenys processionalis (sp complex)

The trails that this species forms are unreal. At the widest point, the trail fanned out to well over 3-5m, covering the ground in a moving carpet of angry stinging ants. A short vid down below if you want to take a look.

https://youtube.com/...k?feature=share

 

Camponotus cf. festinus

Largest camponotus queen i've seen, more than 2.5cm.

 

Strumigenys sp. (Lyroessa group)

Leaf litter ant diversity was unreal, but didn't really go through it until we were essentially about to leave, whoops!

 

 

Myrmicaria sp (Arachnoides group)

Very colorful Myrmicaria species. Also makes carton nests in trees very reminiscient of Polyrhachis nests. Seems to have evolved a convergent threat display with Crematogaster (venom on extruded stinger and all)

 

 

Also I didn't get any good photos of Dinomyrmex gigas unfortunately .  Maybe next time...

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Some non-ant fellas

Gonocephalus bornensis

Godzilla looking fella with the spines on the back

 

Foraminis perforatus

A triceratops!

 

Hoplia aurata

Shiny scarab, little guy is blinged out

 

Inara sp.

Poor Dolichoderus workers on its back.

 

Haemadipsa guangchuanensis

These leeches were the bane of my existence in the rainforest. Just a relentless onslaught of these orange boogers trying to get under your clothes.

Edited by Leo, July 28 2025 - 7:57 AM.