I recently caught some ants in the pool yesterday. At first, I thought that they were some species of Solenopsis but after a closer look I recognized them as what I think is Forelius pruinosus/mccooki. I only had two test tubes with me, so I put four in each test tube, and they didn't seem to try to fight each other, one was even cleaning another! I put one in one test tube, three in another, and four in the last test tube when I got home. I think the three-queen colony is doing the best because I accidentally smashed the single queen a little bit, and in the four-queen colony some are a little bit wet. I really hope that these are Forelius pruinosus because I heard that they are really easy to keep and will inbreed.
1. Henderson, NV. Were found in a pool with a colony that I know for sure is Forelius pruinosus nearby.
2. 9/20/25 found at around 5 pm (coincidence? the common name for these is "high noon ants" and these queens were found at the height of noon).
3. A park that is dry and hot, but with a pool area not too far away.
4. I measured three queens: 6mm, 6.5mm, and 7mm
5. Look like Nylanderia vividula but their head is the same coloration as the thorax, and it is all a light red color, instead of a dark red. The gaster is same as Nylanderia vividula.
6.
7. All of them were found in the pool, with not a single on the ground.
8. I never found the exact location of their nest, but they are around lots of rocks and trees.
9. I found a few queens with a lap around the pool, and then a few minutes later there were more, so I am confident they were flying at the same time I was catching them, although I never saw any in the air.
10. The camera makes them look darker than they are, they are light colored, especially compared to Nylanderia vividula.
Edited by cooIboyJ, September 21 2025 - 10:25 AM.
