8 replies to this topic

[sgheaton]

Whenever my cat - or the neighbors - misses a piece of cat food or treat outside...I've noticed these lil buggers come out from somewhere. They have managed to survive a chemical wall into my house, aren't out EVER, and seem to only make an appearance when I forget to chuck leftover pieces into the yard. Well....finally found a queen walking out and about! ...except I AM OUT of containers. Having to resort to..this.. http://i.imgur.com/AFVdrgo

 

Title:
1. Location of collection - Firestone, CO. On my back porch - Walking through the cracks of my bricks. 
2. Todays Date - 7/27/16
 
Body:
1. Location of collection - This is a picture of where I have found them - http://i.imgur.com/ZeyIgIQ -  she was actually about 5 from the pots there. 

2. Date of collection -  7/26/16      ~4:00 p.m. 
3. Habitat of collection  - backyard? 
4. Length  - Calipers showed 3.8 mm
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture - Yellow. 
6. Distinguishing characteristics ​- Not much besides that they have a bigger, yellow abdomen. 
7. Anything else distinctive  - n/a
8. Nest description - FINALLY found them in a pile of loose dirt/sunflower seeds/ sand in a crack on the back patio. Not a good spot. WILL be wash away by rain. ...and yet they are always around...
9 . Post the clearest pictures possible of the top, side, and face of the ant in question, and if possible, their nest and the habitat they were collected in.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Edited by sgheaton, July 27 2016 - 5:37 AM.

[Batspiderfish]

Pictures are way better for identification anyways.

[sgheaton]

Bumpin' as I've updated this with a new request.

[kellakk]

Solenopsis molesta?

[sgheaton]

I defer to you experts . It might be that actually... 

[Batspiderfish]

I agree, some kind of Solenopsis sp. thief ant. Solenopsis molesta is generally the most common, but there are others that look like that, especially in the south.

[sgheaton]

Thief ant?!?? I'm going to have black-pavement ants, red-harvester ants, and now yellow-thief ants?! Do I need to know anything about them if I choose to raise them? 

[kellakk]

I agree, some kind of Solenopsis sp. thief ant. Solenopsis molesta is generally the most common, but there are others that look like that, especially in the south.

 

Right, I forgot that S. carolinensis is found there as well.  Do thief ants other than S. molesta infest homes, though? 

 

Sgheaton, I don't think there's any special information you need to raise them. You might want to check out dspdrew's journal of his colony, or that of the others here who've raised S. molesta.

[sgheaton]

Going to assume its in the Solenopsis grouping...but will remain that as open for now. Calling it solved though. No idea if they are even fertile. Going to check out others journals about them though to see if its something I'm wanting. They are SOOOooooo tiny that a tiny THA set up would probably be all that they need ever.