10 replies to this topic

[dirt_eater]

1. Athens Ga infesting my apartment

2. January 24

3. Suburban apartment

4. 3mm worker 4-5 mm queen

5. Dark brown to black

6. Single petiole node, pointed ovate abdomen, slender thorax, triangular head 

7. relatively fast moving, can climb on anything form long thick lines of workers

8. They were living in the overflow gap in my sink and completely infested my bathroom. I collected a queen and couple of workers for the sake of identification.

 

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[Mdrogun]

This could be number of things. It could be Dorymyrmex or Solenopsis just to name a few. The picture is too blurry to tell.

Edited by Mdrogun, January 26 2016 - 3:49 PM.

[dirt_eater]

thanks for the tip probably dorymyrmex insanus crazy ants. Unsurprising 

[Mdrogun]

Why do you want native ants so badly? Also in a place like Georgia they are going to be extremely difficult to find between the invasive Pheidole,Solenopsis and Linepithema.

[dirt_eater]

I would rather have natives so i can observe ants from my home state more intimately and learn about them. Often there is a lot of information on invasive ants and less on natives. Additionally non-native species just don't interest me. They represent a loss of biodiversity and the harm humans can do to the environment. 

[dirt_eater]

Also still unsure if the ID is precisely correct antmap sites B insanus in GA but no other source i can find corroborates that. I also found them in my sink and D insanus is a typically desert dwelling ant... more research needed. I'll do my best to make better photos.

[gcsnelling]

I agree with it probably not being Dorymyrmex, I have never, ever heard of them living inside a structure or even foraging inside for that matter. The major house infesting ant in that part of the country is Tapinoma sessile. That would be my guess but the image is by far too poor t be sure. I applaud the interest in native ant species rather than exotics.

Edited by gcsnelling, January 27 2016 - 3:28 AM.

[dirt_eater]

That seems like a very likely candidate especially considering that they infested my apartment. How do most people go about taking good clear photos without access to a digital microscope?

[Mdrogun]

That seems like a very likely candidate especially considering that they infested my apartment. How do most people go about taking good clear photos without access to a digital microscope?

My iphone seems to be able to do a decent job.

[Jonathan21700]

My guess is Linepithema humile.

[C Carl]

Have you made any new photos? From your description and what I can see, they could also be a Crematogaster, perhaps C. ashmeadi.They sometimes infest homes.