5 replies to this topic

[Dethundrel]

Hi all! Brand new to the ant thing and looking for a little identification assistance.

 

I know I got into ants really late in the season and already missed the majority of the easy to find ants.  That did not deture me from continueing to look, though. I wish I would have stumbled on this a few months ago. I am super eager and ready to make things happen, which has lead me to grabbing the first crawler I found.

 

I'm not even sure this is an ant, anyone mind letting me know if my first find is a dud or not?

 

1. Location of collection: Grand Junction, Colorado

2. Date of collection: 9/27/16 - 8:00 PM (Dark)

3. Habitat of collection: School parking lot under the lights - asphalt/concrete

4. Length: Tiny, maybe 4mm?

5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown/black

6. Distinguishing characteristics: Huge Gagster, small Thorax, really long antenna for the size.

7. Anything else distinctive: Keeps pointing its butt up in the air and cannot seem to climb either glass or plastic containers it's been in.

8. Nest description: None, was just in the gutter by itself.

 

 

This is the clearest picture I could get my iPhone to take, hope it's good enough.

 

 

[kellakk]

That looks like a rove beetle.  Notice the antennae are knobby and not elbowed.  If you look closely, you can even see the elytra right between the second pair of legs.

[Dethundrel]

Thank you very much!  I was 95% certian it was not an ant. Being so late in the season, I didn't want to risk it throwing away a possbile find.

 

After reviewing some pictures of what you mentioned and looking up "elytra", I have better understanding of not only what to look for on an ant, but what an ant should not have.

[kellakk]

No problem, glad I was helpful.  Good luck finding a queen!

[Antsinmycloset]

Antennae that bend at a right angle (more or less, just make sure there's an obvious joint) will be one of your best at a glance characteristics. There are a few wasps that look uncomfortably similar to ant reproductives, but their antennae will let you sort them out fairly easily.

[Salmon]

Well, elbowed antennae aren't *exclusvely* an ant trait. Rove beetles in the genus Homaeotarsus have them: