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How can I learn to identify ants just by looking at them?

ants identification ok no

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#1 Offline CamponotusLover - Posted February 21 2018 - 9:24 PM

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So I have only been into anting for the last 3 years so maybe I am not used to it enough but, I still, when I go outside, see so many ant workers as being the same species, but I know they aren't because when I ask for identification I get told they are of a different species and/or genus.

Basically, I still can't fully tell most my local ant species apart when it comes to the workers alone. There is about 101 native ants here in NJ I believe, from what I saw last time I checked antmaps.org

I can only tell the Queens species apart. That is the easiest due to being able to view more detail and also being used to alot of queens during different flights.

But how can I learn to get better at identifying workers on my own? Any suggestions? Should I spend more time outside observing the differences, maybe create a collection of dead bodies of different workers and study it? Any tips, reccomendations, or anything is appreciated.

The only workers I can identify immediatley is that of the genus and species Camponotus Pennsylvanicus, and in general Crematogaster genus, due to the unique gaster shape, but not the species of a Crematogaster worker.

thanks



#2 Offline gcsnelling - Posted February 22 2018 - 3:22 AM

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In most cases there is no way to tell just by looking. Crematogaster species are generally all so similar you need to scope them.


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#3 Offline Serafine - Posted February 22 2018 - 4:35 AM

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You can usually identify the genus by carefully looking at them, although even that can be difficult (Nylanderia and Crematogaster for example can look very similar and Myrmica, Tetramorium and Pheidole queens look almost exactly the same, except for a few spines on their thorax).

 

Species identification is difficult to completely impossible (certain species can only be identified by genetic analysis because they look exactly the same).

You might be able to learn what species live in your area and be able to identify the more distinctive ones though.


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We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull.

Welcome to Lazy Tube - My Camponotus Journal


#4 Offline sericultivist - Posted February 22 2018 - 5:36 AM

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It's just a matter of practice and experience. I've grown a lot in the 2 years I've started to seriously look at ants (I wish I had been this into them when I lived in the Amazon!) and it's just been trial and error. I find that size/shape are usually what clues me in to the genus, but for specific species you just need to be familiar with them.

 

What might be helpful to you is to just go outside and watch the ants. Just go for a walk and try to count every genus you see, it doesn't even have to be the specific species. Regular anting walks and consistent practice are going to be your best tool.


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#5 Offline ZllGGY - Posted February 22 2018 - 7:06 AM

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So I have only been into anting for the last 3 years so maybe I am not used to it enough but, I still, when I go outside, see so many ant workers as being the same species, but I know they aren't because when I ask for identification I get told they are of a different species and/or genus.

Basically, I still can't fully tell most my local ant species apart when it comes to the workers alone. There is about 101 native ants here in NJ I believe, from what I saw last time I checked antmaps.org

I can only tell the Queens species apart. That is the easiest due to being able to view more detail and also being used to alot of queens during different flights.

But how can I learn to get better at identifying workers on my own? Any suggestions? Should I spend more time outside observing the differences, maybe create a collection of dead bodies of different workers and study it? Any tips, reccomendations, or anything is appreciated.

The only workers I can identify immediatley is that of the genus and species Camponotus Pennsylvanicus, and in general Crematogaster genus, due to the unique gaster shape, but not the species of a Crematogaster worker.

thanks

i made a topic about a week ago that talks about a book that you can get that will teach you how to identify most north american ant species and the differences associated with each http://www.formicult...nts/#entry83734


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Colonies:

 

Founding:

Camponotus cf. Modoc

Camponotus cf. Herculeanus

 

Dream Ants:

 

Stenamma Diecki

Solenopsis Molesta

Manica Invidia

Camponotus Herculeanus

Lasius Latipes

Dorymyrmex Pyramicus

Tapinoma Sessile


#6 Offline kellakk - Posted February 22 2018 - 8:06 AM

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Size, shape, color, nesting habits, and behavior are the key to good guesses at what an ant is in the field.  You probably can't identify to species in the field (unless the species is very unique for your area), but you can at least guess at genus.  

 

The best way to learn these characters is to kill some workers and identify them later. It helps to keep a record of where you collected them, what habitat they were in, nesting habits, behavior, time of day, etc. and associate this information with your identification.  If you keep doing this, you'll start to recognize what sets different ants apart.


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Current Species:
Camponotus fragilis

Novomessor cockerelli

Pogonomyrmex montanus

Pogonomyrmex rugosus

Manica bradleyi

 

 


#7 Offline Jonathan21700 - Posted February 22 2018 - 8:18 AM

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Also, looking at pictures from Antwiki and Antweb for example. 

Btw maybe we can revive the Name that Ant from the old yuku forum. Old members will know what I'm talking about.

Someone would post a picture of a ant sometimes partly obscured on purpose and give a few hints then others will try to ID it. 

This is what a thread like that looked like https://www.tapatalk...247.html#p16904 .

Maybe it can help new members to get a feel of ID'ing genera.  


Edited by Jonathan21700, February 22 2018 - 8:34 AM.

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#8 Offline kalimant - Posted February 28 2018 - 1:49 PM

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If you're serious about identification, you'll probably need a pocket microscope that magnified to 60x

 

https://www.amazon.c...rson MicroBrite

 

I work on Pheidole megacephala and i can only 100% ID the workers once i get back home and view the minors or majors through a lens (i need to see the postpetiole mostly, and there ain't any way you can see that with naked eye):

 

https://pheidolemega...t.com/p/ho.html


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I currently maintain a site dedicated to the study of Pheidole megacephala:

 

The Pheidole megacephala Journal

 

 

 


#9 Offline gcsnelling - Posted February 28 2018 - 3:52 PM

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I work on Pheidole megacephala and i can only 100% ID the workers once i get back home and view the minors or majors through a lens (i need to see the postpetiole mostly, and there ain't any way you can see that with naked eye):

 

https://pheidolemega...t.com/p/ho.html

I like the Pheidole page.



#10 Offline kalimant - Posted February 28 2018 - 9:03 PM

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I work on Pheidole megacephala and i can only 100% ID the workers once i get back home and view the minors or majors through a lens (i need to see the postpetiole mostly, and there ain't any way you can see that with naked eye):

 

https://pheidolemega...t.com/p/ho.html

I like the Pheidole page.

 

 

yeah, it's coming along nicely....right now i particularly like the colony cluster maps...i realize you can tell a lot (e.g. ant species dominance relationships) by focusing on detailed surveys at the small area level...i'll be dropping by virgin islands sometime this year too, so i'll be adding more data to that page.

 

in that light, not that i'm wishing more invasive ants on California, but if that P. megacephala cluster had not been exterminated in Orange County, it would have been interesting to see how it fared against Linepithema humile...i assume not too well given the climate, but it would probably hold its own (in barcelona, which is a higher latitude than los angeles, the lone P. megacephala cluster there seems to have been able to displace the argentines)


Edited by kalimant, February 28 2018 - 9:12 PM.

I currently maintain a site dedicated to the study of Pheidole megacephala:

 

The Pheidole megacephala Journal

 

 

 


#11 Offline LC3 - Posted February 28 2018 - 9:38 PM

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I work on Pheidole megacephala and i can only 100% ID the workers once i get back home and view the minors or majors through a lens (i need to see the postpetiole mostly, and there ain't any way you can see that with naked eye):

 

https://pheidolemega...t.com/p/ho.html

I like the Pheidole page.

 

 

yeah, it's coming along nicely....right now i particularly like the colony cluster maps...i realize you can tell a lot (e.g. ant species dominance relationships) by focusing on detailed surveys at the small area level...i'll be dropping by virgin islands sometime this year too, so i'll be adding more data to that page.

 

in that light, not that i'm wishing more invasive ants on California, but if that P. megacephala cluster had not been exterminated in Orange County, it would have been interesting to see how it fared against Linepithema humile...i assume not too well given the climate, but it would probably hold its own (in barcelona, which is a higher latitude than los angeles, the lone P. megacephala cluster there seems to have been able to displace the argentines)

 

There's a member on here, Vendayn who had this thread, about him trying to fight off invasive ants at his complex in Irvine, California and their interactions with other ants. P. megacephala is included in it. Might provide a bit of insight.


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#12 Offline Canadian anter - Posted March 1 2018 - 6:54 AM

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A few years ago I just pulled up a list of all the ant genera in the US and looked up images of all of them. My ID skills aren't the most accurate, but they're adequate for most of the species here.


Visit us at www.canada-ant-colony.com !

#13 Offline kalimant - Posted March 1 2018 - 7:03 AM

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There's a member on here, Vendayn who had this thread, about him trying to fight off invasive ants at his complex in Irvine, California and their interactions with other ants. P. megacephala is included in it. Might provide a bit of insight.

 

 

 

thanks yeah i know about vendayn...he also posted in the tapa ant forum a long time ago about this...the problem is P. megacephala is being actively prevented from setting up in California, and it was big news (as in, IN the news) when Gordon found some in Costa Mesa, so I'm not exactly sure why this hasn't gone newsworthy or Gordon chimed in about it. Perhaps it's a mis-identification, since there are other Pheidole in Cali...in fact, when i was grad student there, i recorded argentines taking over some colonies of some native Pheidole at USC..


Edited by kalimant, March 1 2018 - 7:16 AM.

I currently maintain a site dedicated to the study of Pheidole megacephala:

 

The Pheidole megacephala Journal

 

 

 


#14 Offline Barristan - Posted March 1 2018 - 8:14 AM

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As far as I know (maybe there is some psychic ways xD) all ants are identified by looking at them. Some require looking through a magnification glass or even a microscope. With some time and experience, you get a feeling of what ant species it might be or at least what genus it is.


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#15 Offline gcsnelling - Posted March 1 2018 - 3:50 PM

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I would be very surprised if it has been fully eradicated in Costa Mesa.



#16 Offline Jadeninja9 - Posted March 1 2018 - 7:16 PM

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What I did to get a general ID on the species in my area is I went on AntWeb and looked at all the species in my area and studied them. When I see an ant out in the field I look at their shape, size, and color, and I can make a decent ID.



#17 Offline Dnail - Posted March 19 2018 - 8:46 PM

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What I did to get a general ID on the species in my area is I went on AntWeb and looked at all the species in my area and studied them. When I see an ant out in the field I look at their shape, size, and color, and I can make a decent ID.

how long did u spent to looking all species in your area?  :o


Colony:

2 Odontomachus aciculatus 

2 Polyrachis Dives

3 Camponotus sp


#18 Offline Ants4fun - Posted March 20 2018 - 11:18 AM

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After 5 years of antkeeping, I find that it can be easy to guess the genus by the way the ant moves. All ants have their own movements. Formica will sprint and then freeze like spider, aephenogaster will inquisitively look about before going in a direction, etc. Observe their behaviors, and you'll begin to tell their difference.

#19 Offline MrILoveTheAnts - Posted March 20 2018 - 6:19 PM

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A Post in Progress...

 

Ant Maps is a little generous with what they say occurs here in NJ. I think the number is closer to ~82 species. Of these we have 26 genera across 6 subfamilies. Learning to key things out will certainly home your skills with identifying. 

 

With most keys that start in the subfamily and work their way down, the waist segments (petiole, and or post-petiole) are where you start. Ants will only ever have either one or two. For ants with two it's usually very obvious as there's more spaces there. These ants are flexible because they have a stinger. Whereas ants that just have one don't have this free space; they're still flexible but not because they have a stinger, rather because they spray formic acid or some other chemical. 

 

Some genera that are known for being long and slender have two petiole but the post-petiole is connected with a wide surface area to the rest of the gaster. This is because these ants all tend to hunt in rotting leaf litter and tight quarters was important with these ants. You'll rarely find Stigmatomma pallipes hunting outside of leaf litter as they're specialized predators of centipedes. Proceratium are rarely outside of dead wood because they hunt soft bodied arthropods that munch on decomposing logs and leaf litter; they also evolved a gaster with a front facing tip to more easily sting prey. Ponera and Hypoponera nest under stones usually in damp leaf litter but will venture out to the surface, making them the most commonly seen genera with this trait, (the post-petiole with a wide surface area).

 

 

Subfamily Amblyoponinae (Dracula Ants)

Post-Petiole with a wide surface area. Stinger, unclear if painful in humans. Specialized predators of centipedes. Because of this dietary requirement they're usually found in forests rich in with decades worth of decomposing leaf litter because the centipedes they feed on are predators of the soft bodied arthropods decomposing the leaf litter. They get the name Dracula Ant from wounding their own larva in non-lethal ways and feeding on the hemolymph (insect blood).

Stigmatomma pallipes

 

 

Subfamily Dolichoderinae

One Petiole. These ants tend to be fast moving and spray a variety of chemicals from the tips of their gaster. Effective on other ants, not so much on humans and larger mammals. 

 

Associated with certain types of trees, (Pin Oak?) and tend aphids. I've found these at Turkey Swamp Park in Jackson county. Note the hump on the thorax/mesosoma.

Dolichoderus mariae                           

Dolichoderus plagiatus                       

Dolichoderus pustulatus                      

Dolichoderus taschenbergi 

 

Dorymyrmex bureni (Native to the US but not NJ Cape May Light House, working their way up the sandy coast with climate change.) 

Dorymyrmex grandulus (Only found in patches of white sand in the Pine Barrens as far as I know.)

 

Tapinoma sessile (Odorous House Ant. Very common house hold pest species. Nest in leaf litter, mulch, flower pots, old ants nests. The Petiole to this species is almost fused to the rest of the thorax and rarely flexes away.)

 

 

Subfamily Formicinae

One Petiole. At the tip of the gaster there is a tuft of hair which is lacking in all Dolichoderinae! That said, most species are easier to recognize just from their eye placement and head shape compared to other Dolichoderinae (at least for the species that occur in NJ).  

 

Brachymyrmex depilis (Extremely tiny! Queens are fragile to touch!)

 

All Camponotus have arched backs, unlike Formica which has two humps. This is a large genus in the US worth separating into further groups.

True Camponotus and Tanaemyrmex Group (These are all large compared to the Myrmentoma group. Workers range from 12 to 18mm long, queens up to 20mm)

Camponotus americanus (Heads are black, rest of body shades of orange/yellow. Queens have more black to them. Nest underground, sometimes mixed in dead wood)

Camponotus castaneus (Orange/yellow all over, head might be darker but never black. Nest underground, rarely mixed in dead wood)

Camponotus chromaiodes (Black head, red thorax, black gaster. Majors ALWAYS have dark shoulders. Hair on gaster just like C. pennsylvanicus. Nest almost always mixed between wood and underground)

Camponotus pennsylvanicus (Totally Black with lots of hair on the gaster. Nest only in dead wood.)

 

Myrmentoma Group. These are smaller than true Camponotus and Tanaemyrmex species. Workers range from 8 to 12mm long, queens up to 15mm.

Camponotus caryae (lots of facial hair, totally black for the most part... some populations might have shades of brown/red to them. Color is not that reliable here.)

Camponotus nearcticus (almost no facial hair, or hair at all, Totally black for the most part... some populations might have shades of brown/red. Color is not that reliable here.)

Camponotus subbarbatus (Not totally black. Often with shades of brown or lighter in the joints. Majors and Queens especially have large yellow bands of color around their gasters!)

 

Door Ants (These all used to be Camponotus but were promoted to be their own genus. Their heads are flat to form "doors" to block entrance ways.

Colobopsis impressa

Colobopsis mississippiensis

 

Formica is the most diverse genus in the US with roughly 100 species. They're also worth breaking up into smaller groups.

Formica (exsecta) exsectoides (Visit Turkey Swamp Park in Jackson County. They make huge mounds and form super colonies. Spray formic acid.)

 

Fusca group in NJ are all totally black and have large eyes compared to their head. They're also a little hard to tell apart. I honestly don't know how the true F. fusca species differs from F. subsericea. F. argentea should be easy enough to google the difference.

Formica (fusca) argentea 

Formica (fusca) fusca

Formica (fusca) subsericea

 

Pallidefulva are common in not so lush lawn settings. They're either a brass color or bicolored. NJ actually falls in a transition zone where both species have color different color forms. I have never seen a mixed nest of these so it's one color or the other.

Formica (pallidefulva) incerta

Formica (pallidefulva) pallidefulva

 

Formica (neogagates) neogagates (I've never encountered these that I know of. Supposedly they're as small as our Lasius.)

 

These are all parasitic species using members of the pallidefulva and fusca groups to sustain their colonies. For the microgyna and rufa species host workers are only required for colony founding. Further raids on host colonies might occur but I don't believe they're necessary

Formica (microgyna) difficilis

Formica (microgyna) querquetulana

Formica (rufa) integra

Formica (rufa) obscuriventris

 

Formica (sanguinae) pergandei

Formica (sanguinae) rubicunda

maybe Formica (sanguinae) subintegra  

 

Workers are dark in color, either dark brown or black. Hairs on the legs and body help distinguish them. Queens are fat and usually fly around August/September and have no problem starting colonies on their own. (Also note niger is pronounced nyjer.)

Lasius (niger group) alienus (nest in wood or mixed in dirt, forests/around trees.)

Lasius (niger group) neoniger (nest in sandy soil, full sun, fields)

Lasius (niger group) pallitarsis (also nest in sandy soil, full sun, fields)

 

Workers are orange in color.

Lasius (flavus) flavus

Lasius (flavus) nearcticus  

 

Workers are orange. Queens are social parasites and must replace the queens of members of the niger group to reproduce.

Lasius (Umbratus) minutus (rarely found. These nest in bogs and form large mounds.)

Lasius (Umbratus) speculiventris

Lasius (Umbratus) umbratus (queens tend to be black and fly sometime in early spring. workers have a dingy sheen of hairs to them. I've found them nesting in dry wood.)

 

Workers are orange, and usually give off a slight citronella odor when disturbed. Queens are social parasites and must replace the queens of members of the niger group. Adult colonies go on to become subterranean aphid farmers, usually nest among the roots of trees and shrubs.

Lasius (Claviger) claviger (queens are a brown color, though I've witnessed red individuals leaving colonies too seemingly 1 in every 100 queens. Flights happen in late autumn.)

Lasius (Claviger) interjectus (queens are red/orange in color and fly in the spring. Interestingly enough they have been seen using Lasius claviger as a host.)

Lasius (Claviger) latipes (queens are huge red lumbering tanks! Their legs are thick and wasp-like! They fly over the summer and barge right through the walls of host colonies looking to decapitate the host's queen! After which they roll in the juices and take over the roll as egg layer. Strong host colonies over power them with numbers while weaker ones fall.

Lasius (Claviger) murphyi (queens are very similar to L. latipes but with slightly slimmer legs. Most noticeably though is a patch of yellow hairs on the face. Fly in summer and have the same method of infiltration.)

Lasius (Claviger) subglaber (queens are very similar to L. claviger but fly over the summer time. Hairs differ on the body between these two species.)

 

Nylanderia is a genus of tramp species. They travel the world over thanks to human commerce and are at home in the leaf litter in woodlands. Both species seem to over winter their queens as Camponotus and Prenolepis do so they may engage in early season nuptial flights.

Nylanderia faisonensis (workers are a uniformly brown color, or sometimes with a lighter colored thorax/mesosoma)

Nylanderia flavipes (workers are uniquely bicolored with the gaster being two colors.)

 

Polyergus is a specialized slave maker of Formica species. Our native population uses colonies of Formica incerta (though not F. pallidefulva?) I have found these at Rancocas before but the population seems to move around.

Polyergus lucidus (They're a brilliant red color with large tusk-like mandibles. These are not used for war as one might think, rather they're idea for snatching brood of the F. incerta colonies they raid. F. incerta are fairly timid when assaulted. Polyergus mostly run past the workers, snatch the brood up and are gone. Because of this colonies of F. incerta may close up their nest entrances at certain times of day in reaction to this.

 

This is a genus with a single species in it throughout most of North America. It's somewhat diverse in size and color too. In NJ I've seen them range from black, hues of brown, to a pail blond color. The pail variety seem to only nest in sand. The black variety seems notorious for long foraging lines leading up oak trees likely to tend scale insects. Queens are normally beautify colored too and worth googling. The common color form (dark head, rose thorax/mesosoma, and the blond gaster) comes in at least two sizes and it's unclear if this is a different variety or a dietary issue within a single colony. I've also seen queens that match the pail blond coloration of the pail blond variety but she was the only queen of that colony with that color form; the workers of this colony were not of the pail variety as one might expect. Workers also balloon up like with sugars and have repletes like honey pot ants. These sugars are converted into a fat body though hence the other common name, false-honey ant.    

Prenolepis imparis (Called The Winter Ant because of their ability to forage in colder temperatures than any other ant in the US and Canada. They even hold nuptial flights on the earliest warm days of the year, a good month before Camponotus and Nylanderia which also over winter their queens. 

 

 

Subfamily Myrmicinae

Two Waist Segments! This is also the most common subfamily in North America (the world?). A lot of these tend to like heat, are associated with seeds, one even grows fungus.

 

These species are at home in woodlands and along forest edges. A. fulva and A. rudis are both considered species complexes, meaning both are comprised of multiple species that are almost identical to one another. They require a DNA test to count the number of chromosomes they have. Generally it's best to leave it at A. fulva or A. rudis and not care about the specifics. You may notice some colonies of one has several queens in it while others only have one and other slight differences too.  

Aphaenogaster fulva (woodland species, tends to hue more orange/brown)

Aphaenogaster lamellidens (much larger than A. fulva or A. rudis. Formica-like in size. Could only be confused with A. treatae but they have a smooth antenna scape.)

Aphaenogaster rudis (woodland species, tends to huge more dark brown/red)

Aphaenogaster tennesseensis (bright red/brown color. Colonies are often very large compared to other species. Queens are social parasites of A. fulva, and A. rudis colonies.

Aphaenogaster treatae (large like A. lamellidens but uniquely the antenna scape close to the head is flat and paddle-shaped)

 

This genus is unique because the post petiole attaches to the upper half of the gaster. Every other ant genus in the world attaches to the lower! This allows Crematogaster to arch their gaster forward like a scorpion would. They're given the common name Acrobat Ants. The gaster to both species is heart-shaped. Both make super huge colonies with foraging lines connecting several satellite nests, always in dead wood structures. They sometimes build "sheds" around aphids they tend on plants. The number of hairs on the thorax/mesosoma is how the two species are told apart.

Crematogaster cerasi

Crematogaster lineolata

 

These are very tiny black ants. They look sort of like Tetramorium (pavement ants) but are much smaller and very shiny. They also only nest in sand, though sometimes the leveling material used under bricks and hard-scapes will work too. Both species look similar and differ in the number of hairs on the body. I have found colonies which have dozens of queens in them that seem to either inbreed or divide over the year. And on other occasions I've found lone queens venturing out on their own to start their own colonies. I'm not sure which was which or if it's population based. 

Monomorium emarginatum

Monomorium viridum

 

Very similar to Aphaenogaster in appearance but with shorter legs and more texture to the body. These tends to be found in fields and what might be described as "scrub land" where odd sorts of plants seem to grow. I don't encounter these enough to know how to tell them apart, google it or post an ID thread. If you're in NJ you have a 1 in 3 chance of being right. 

Myrmica americana

Myrmica pinetorum

Myrmica punctiventris

 

Big-headed Ants. Fly over the summer usually at night or late afternoon. All species seem to nest in sandy soil. Not so lush lawns are often a goldmine of colonies. Lasius neoniger is often present too.

Pheidole bicarinata

Pheidole davisi

Pheidole dentata

Pheidole dentigula

Pheidole pilifera (I think this one has the largest majors if that helps)

Pheidole tysoni

 

NJ lacks any fire ants, but their cousins the thief ants are here in mass. S. molesta is the most common in suburban settings. S. texana seems restricted to patches of almost pure sand, meaning almost no loam or clay mixed in.

Solenopsis carolinensis (said to be a smaller version of S. molesta but I've never found it in person. Supposed to be more common in "the south" likely replacing S. molesta down there so they might be uncommon in NJ)

Solenopsis molesta (queens are uniquely colored with the head a darker shade of orange/brown than the thorax/mesosoma, and the gaster lighter still. Some get infected with a parasitic fungus that turns the gaster black but these are infertile.)

Solenopsis texana (queens lack the darker head of S. molesta and are lighter in general, more yellow)

 

Probably the easiest ant to confuse with a Temnothorax. The eye placement on the head is different though. I've never located a colony of these but have found queens in late spring unlike most Temnothorax that do so in the summer. 

Stenamma schmittii   

 

Specalized predators of soft bodied arthropods. You'll only ever find these foraging in "cold" situations even in summer. They nest in decaying logs rich with the creatures they feed on. They're covered in petal-like structures (modified hairs) which help mask their scent and make hunting easier. Nuptial flights are in August, but only on cloudy days with heavy over cast, sometimes even in a light drizzle. I've found swarms of queens to these all over cars in parking lots. (It's also a good time to go car shopping.) Along with having different body texture the pattern of petals on the head in face view are fairly unique to each of the three. Note the act of looking for colonies of these often destroys the log in the process. Though rarely found, these ants are likely very common even in suburban settings. Colonies probably move frequently deeper into the soil when needed and only venture to the surface when conditions allow. Colonies are very tiny also and fit neatly into small enclosures. Despite just the 3 species in NJ, this genus is surprisingly large and diverse throughout the US! It wouldn't surprise me to learn more are in NJ that have been overlooked.

Strumigenys ohioensis (has the most texture on the body)

Strumigenys pergandei (body texture is somewhere in the middle)

Strumigenys pulchella (has the least texture on the body)

 

Acorn Ants. While they do indeed nest in hollow acorns, really they'll nest in any kind of dead plant matter. They're looking for an open cavity with a small defendable nest entrance.

Temnothorax curvispinosus (brown/orange with curved spines)

Temnothorax longispinosus (black and with long spines)

Temnothorax schaumii (also brown/orange but spines are very short)

 

The Pavement Ant, and friend.

Tetramorium immigrans (formerly Species E... formerly caespitum) This is an invasive species that has displaces Formica and Lasius to some degree. For the most part though they've naturalized and focus more on territorial disputes between other colonies of pavement ants. Finding two colonies going at it is fairly common. This is a sun loving species that takes advantage of rocks and logs so they can incubate their brood to develop faster. Colonies in ideal locations begin sending out queens in the last week of May, whereas others in less ideal locations start flying later in the month of June, and sporadically in July and occasionally August. Flights happen late at night (midnight or after!) and queens are very commonly found floating in swimming pools the day after. 

Tetramorium atratulus (formerly Anergates atratulus) This is an inquilin parasite of queenless T. immigrans colonies. Queens of these can also be found in pools over the summer but are so odd looking they superficially resemble the males of other species. The males of this species are only found within infected host colonies, and superficially look like they should be the queen from their body structure.

 

The Northern Fungus-Farming Ant. This is uniquely the only fungus growing species that makes it this far north. In NJ, sandy soil, full sun, and an abundance of caterpillar and herbivore insect frass are essential for this species. White Oak Trees, Quercus alba, growing in a forest edge on a sandy field is usually a good sign. In NJ they're abundant in Jackson County and likely along the coast northward. They've been seen at Rancocas too but I've never been able to locate them. This is a very unique-looking ant impossible to mistake for anything else.

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis (Queens fly around the second week of August in the afternoon)

 

 

Subfamily Ponerinae

Two Waist Segemnts, Post Petiole connects to gaster with a wide surface area. (Telling these two species apart can be difficult as they look very similar. In side view there is a difficult to see spine under the petiole found only in Ponera and NOT in Hypoponera. Also "I believe but could be wrong that, Ponera tends to be more of a leaf litter hunting species that rarely comes out to forage in the open. I think Hypoponera is the one that ventures out more openly to hunt on the surface. I could have these backwards though.")

 

Hypoponera opacior

 

Ponera pennsylvanica

 

 

Subfamily Proceratiinae

Two Waist Segemnts, Post Petiole connects to gaster with a wide surface area. Gaster is front facing. Usually found nesting in the same conditions as Strumigenys species, damp, decaying wood, teaming with soft bodied arthropods for them to hunt. 

Proceratium pergandei (I can't stress this enough. The ant isn't bending their gaster to curve forward. The hard plates of the of the exoskeleton itself are naturally set in this position to always be facing this way. This is unique not just with this species but with everything in this subfamily. Thankfully in NJ we just have the one species because they're surprisingly diverse elsewhere in the world.) 


Edited by MrILoveTheAnts, March 22 2018 - 6:52 PM.

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#20 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted March 24 2018 - 10:58 AM

MegaMyrmex

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My method for identifying ants. Note that I use this as a quick method and that I always take time later on to identify what species the ant really is.
Tetramorium- slow, blocky heads, in sunlight, appears reddish brown with black gaster
Monomorium- Small, glossy black, pointy gasters
Aphaenogaster- skinny legs, elongate body, gaster seems small in relation to body. Elongate head, long antennae, looks somewhat delicate
Myrmica- Like a combination of aphaenogaster and tetramorium. Legs are shorter than aphaenogaster's legs, blocky and stouter body shape
Ponera- small, glossy black, thick antennae, slow, but also short legs and worm like. Mandibles are toothed
Stigmatomma- reddish brown, look like larger ponera or hypoponera but with narrower jaws ans stockier head.
Camponotus- narrow heads or blocky heads, depends on caste. Generally latge but smaller species can be confused with formica. Defining characteristic is Camponotus' curved back
Formica- Large eyes, jerky and sharp movements. Does not have curved back and tends to make mounds for nests
Lasius- small, for subterranean species, larger, and golden or yellow in color. Non- subterranean species, small, like tapinoma but generally lighter in color and more erratic movement
Tapinoma- look similar to lasius but queens are a bit larger than a tapinoma worker. Also create distinct odor when crushed
Prenolepis- Brownish or reddish gaster, lighter head coloration. Sharp, pointed gaster and somewhat long antennae
Nylanderia- looks like Prenolepis but much smaller, covered with hairs
Crematogaster- glossy black or reddish brown, distinct shape of gaster and stout limbs, along with somewhat blocky head
This is really all that I can think of as of right now, Hope it helps!

Edited by MegaMyrmex, March 24 2018 - 11:00 AM.

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 






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