Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Wisconsin 7/19/25

Started By TheGamblingAnt , Jul 19 2025 10:11 PM

  • Please log in to reply
3 replies to this topic

#1 Offline TheGamblingAnt - Posted July 19 2025 - 10:11 PM

TheGamblingAnt

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 84 posts
  • LocationWisconsin
Pretty sure she is a Solenopsis molesta. But thought I'd get you guys opinion. Never seen one of these before. Caught her tonight with no wings on my black light sheet around 10pm. She is a bright yellowish orange and qukte small.. about 3/16 inch, or roughly 5mm.

Attached Images

  • Screenshot_20250720_010725_Gallery.jpg
  • Screenshot_20250720_010743_Gallery.jpg
  • Screenshot_20250720_010824_Gallery.jpg

#2 Offline Artisan_Ants - Posted July 20 2025 - 4:42 PM

Artisan_Ants

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 464 posts
  • LocationChester County, PA

Pretty sure she is a Solenopsis molesta. But thought I'd get you guys opinion. Never seen one of these before. Caught her tonight with no wings on my black light sheet around 10pm. She is a bright yellowish orange and qukte small.. about 3/16 inch, or roughly 5mm.

Yeah 100% S. molesta. They are actually supposed to be flying in early August, (at least that's when they peak for me) but they started flying around the 15th this month.


Keeping:

1x - S. molesta (founding)       2x - C. pennsylvanicus (founding queen and colony)   

4x - C. chromaiodes (colonies)                                       

4x - T. immigrans (founding queens and colonies) ==> 3x queen [founding], 2x queen colony [colony], and two 1x queen [colony and founding]

1x - F. subsericea (founding)

 

Check out my C. nearcticus journal here: https://www.formicul...cticus-journal/

Check out my C. chromaiodes journal here: https://www.formicul...aiodes-journal/

#3 Offline TheGamblingAnt - Posted July 20 2025 - 8:34 PM

TheGamblingAnt

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 84 posts
  • LocationWisconsin
Sweet thanks I thought so too. We will see if she is fertile... She was walking on the ground right in front of my white sheet for my blacklight. Hardly noticed her she was so small. Thankfully a bunch of acorn ants had a massive flight here so I was looking out for tiny ants so I spotted her.

#4 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted July 20 2025 - 8:51 PM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,447 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

Definitely not 100% molesta. In fact, no Myrmecologist is ever 100% certain if a thief ant is molesta. In fact, the commonly held theory is that Solenopsis molesta is actually multiple related species that haven't been described yet. There are also other described species that can be confused with molesta, although none of those live anywhere near Wisconsin. But she IS 100% Solenopsis molesta species group. 


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica pallidefulva, argentea

Formica cf. aserva

Pheidole bicarinata

Lasius claviger

Camponotus vicinus, modoc, novaeboracensis, herculeanus

Back to Ant ID Requests · Next Unread Topic →


0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users