17 replies to this topic

[Buckets]

This isn't a queen ant, but I found ants right out front my lawn and I was curious as to what species it was, so I took one so I can take pictures.

 

1. Location of collection: Los Angeles County

2. Date of collection: 3/26/2017
3. Habitat of collection: Front lawn of my house, next to a stack of bricks and the grass
4. Length (from head to gaster): About 1-2 mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown head and abdomen, with a light brownish/orangish thorax.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Small
7. Distinguishing behavior: Not sure

8. Nest description: in the grass of my lawn where there's dirt, not exactly sure where it was but I'm guessing under the bricks.

 

 

 

 
I don't have pictures of my lawn and it's night time right now, but I can get them later if needed.

Edited by Buckets, March 27 2017 - 6:26 PM.

[Californian Anter]

 

This isn't a queen ant, but I found ants right out front my lawn and I was curious as to what species it was, so I took one so I can take pictures.

 

1. Location of collection: Los Angeles County

2. Date of collection: 3/26/2017
3. Habitat of collection: Front lawn of my house, next to a stack of bricks and the grass
4. Length (from head to gaster): About 2 cm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown head and abdomen, with a light brownish/orangish thorax.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Small
7. Distinguishing behavior: Not sure

8. Nest description: in the grass of my lawn where there's dirt, not exactly sure where it was but I'm guessing under the bricks.

 

 

 
I don't have pictures of my lawn and it's night time right now, but I can get them later if needed.

 

Are you sure it's 2 cm long?

[Buckets]

 

 

This isn't a queen ant, but I found ants right out front my lawn and I was curious as to what species it was, so I took one so I can take pictures.

 

1. Location of collection: Los Angeles County

2. Date of collection: 3/26/2017
3. Habitat of collection: Front lawn of my house, next to a stack of bricks and the grass
4. Length (from head to gaster): About 2 cm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown head and abdomen, with a light brownish/orangish thorax.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Small
7. Distinguishing behavior: Not sure

8. Nest description: in the grass of my lawn where there's dirt, not exactly sure where it was but I'm guessing under the bricks.

 

 

 
I don't have pictures of my lawn and it's night time right now, but I can get them later if needed.

 

Are you sure it's 2 cm long?

 

It's definitely over 1 mm, just over it after I measured it.

 

Edit: Wrong term of length, my bad

Edited by Buckets, March 26 2017 - 8:46 PM.

[OmniusClone]

Okay. So this is my first attempt at IDing, but if I had to stick my neck out, I'd guess maaaybe Tapinoma spp. cf Sessile?
However, the photos don't give a good view of the petiole or lack thereof, and the overall quality makes it difficult.
For me, at least.
I'm sure someone here will know it by sight.

Edited by OmniusClone, March 26 2017 - 9:41 PM.

[Antking117]

Any closer pictures of the ant side and top view would be appreciated, although still don't think I can identify that ant. It will still help others!

[Nathant2131]

Prenolepis imparis? Can we get a better measurement to be sure?

Edited by Nathant2131, March 27 2017 - 2:54 AM.

[dspdrew]

I'm going with Nylanderia. Maybe N. vividula.

[Buckets]

Thanks for the help, I got a lens and I will try and take better pictures today

Edited by Buckets, March 27 2017 - 9:49 AM.

[Nathant2131]

I was thinking Nylanderia too.

[VoidElecent]

If you're sure it's smaller that a P. imparis worker, it's probably Nylanderia vividula (like Drew said) or Nylanderia terricola.

[OmniusClone]

Redacted

Edited by OmniusClone, March 27 2017 - 2:06 PM.

[OmniusClone]

I'm going with Nylanderia. Maybe N. vividula.

 

Drew, just out of curiosity, was it the suggestion of hairs on the abdominal segments that led you to Nylanderia?

[dspdrew]

Mainly the size, and then the color and shape. There isn't much more I can see in those pictures.

[Nathant2131]

Mmm. You can't even see any hair in those pics.

[OmniusClone]

No, not outright. But if you zoom waaaay way in, and you look very closely, you can see little smudges radiating off of the gaster at what appears to be the margin of each segment.
Since I don't have a working knowledge of these things yet, I basically keep Antwiki and AntWeb open. Going by the specimens the have, my guess was Tapinoma because the shape was very similar, and I read they could be bi-colored.
When you said Nylanderia, I went back, double checked, and noticed the smudges.

I'm really just trying to get a handle on what you guys, as more experienced 'Anters', see when you ID these. Especially when going off of what can sometimes be mostly fuzzy pictures or vague descriptions.
Don't mean to draw the thread out unnecessarily.

Edited by OmniusClone, March 27 2017 - 4:11 PM.

[Buckets]

 

Hopefully this helps with clarity.

[Buckets]

To add on to above, I was wondering where these types of ants generally have their nests? There was only a few workers running along between the pavement and grass and that's where I usually see them. I couldn't find the origin of where they're coming from but if you guys could help it'd be really helpful.

 

 

[Batspiderfish]

That worker has very thick hairs, a trait of Nylanderia.

Edited by Batspiderfish, March 27 2017 - 7:52 PM.