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Tampa Florida, 11-18-2017

florida centralflorida harvesterants ants ant south central harvester

Best Answer VoidElecent , November 18 2017 - 2:29 PM

What a lovely post! :)

 

I think your ant is a Pheidole major worker, Ph. obscurithorax, perhaps. I believe the common name for Pheidole is 'Big-Headed Ants'.

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#1 Offline Roku9710 - Posted November 18 2017 - 2:07 PM

Roku9710

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If you would provide the common, scientific, and the cast of ant it would be greatly appreciated. 

 

1. Location of collection: This ant was captured in central Florida, Tampa Area.

 

2. Date of collection: 11-18-17. However- it was obtained from an excavated nest. 


3. Habitat of collection: In a sandy area under an oak tree. 


4. Length: 4-5mm. 


5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: This is a dark ant. The head has a red hue & the gaster has a striped pattern of black and a dark red. 


6. Distinguishing characteristics: This ant was bigger than most workers but about the same length as the big-headed workers in the colony. It's Gaster was bigger than the others. 

 

7. Anything else distinctive: Colony was polymorphic. There were small workers and workers (majors?) with big heads and large mandibles. The brood was not in a cocoon. You could see an white ant shape larva (I hope I'm using the terms correctly). I also observed some of these ants that had yet to develop be an orange color that I assume means they would soon be ready to awaken. The workers enjoyed a cap full of ground hemp seeds I fed them.


8. Nest description: Nest was small, not a large mound. It was in sandy soil. 

 

9. Nuptial flight time and date: N/A Taken from excavated nest

 

Again, if you would provide the common, scientific, and the cast of ant it would be greatly appreciated. 

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Edited by Roku9710, November 18 2017 - 2:10 PM.

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#2 Offline VoidElecent - Posted November 18 2017 - 2:29 PM   Best Answer

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What a lovely post! :)

 

I think your ant is a Pheidole major worker, Ph. obscurithorax, perhaps. I believe the common name for Pheidole is 'Big-Headed Ants'.


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#3 Offline Spamdy - Posted November 18 2017 - 7:53 PM

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What a lovely post! :)

 

I think your ant is a Pheidole major worker, Ph. obscurithorax, perhaps. I believe the common name for Pheidole is 'Big-Headed Ants'.

I second Pheidole obscurithorax, common here in Houston and as I've heard, invasive-like in Florida.


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All my colonies are dead. 

 

 Except:

  

  Pogonomyrmex barbatus

  Pheidole obscurithorax

  Pheidole morens






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