Arizona Ant Colony ID

[PDub101]

Hello there! I've had these ones for a while and could never really ID them myself, but I think this is a great place to get some help. Some key notes are they they seem to love nectar, specifically from my candy cane pepper plants (when I grow them) but not tomatoes or other ones that I've noticed. The workers are all the same size, shape, and color (red) whereas the queen and female alates have a red body (head and thorax) and black abdomen with the males being smaller than the workers and whole body solid black. They eat insects and love sugar. Their pupae do not have a cocoon. Apologies if the pictures are not enough to make a clear ID, they are quite small but a best guess would be appreciated, thank you!

SIZE: Workers-3mm Queen and female alates-6mm Males- approx 2mm
WHEN: Had for a while so don't remember exactly but I'd say late June to early August
WHERE: Tucson, AZ in my backyard that has a mixture of dirt and grass. Desert environment (Sonoran desert)
APPEARANCE: Workers (all)- Red in color and same size and shape
Queen- Red head and thorax with black abdomen
Alates- Females same as queen with the males being solid black. I noticed in the pictures that the top and sides of female abdomens are black and the underside is more red.
BEHAVIOUR: They will swarm and occasionally they do bite but I have yet to be stung by one. I would say their temperament is mild to moderate, I have picked up a piece of tree bark that they had brood under in their outworld and held it for a while without getting bit or stung while they were swarming on it.
PICTURES: Should be 7 pics- https://imgur.com/a/S00Va42
ADDITIONALLY: I am concerned that they may be an invasive species and what I should do if they are. They are in an enclosed environment so they cannot escape and this is the first time they have produced alates.

[antperson24]

Hello there! I've had these ones for a while and could never really ID them myself, but I think this is a great place to get some help. Some key notes are they they seem to love nectar, specifically from my candy cane pepper plants (when I grow them) but not tomatoes or other ones that I've noticed. The workers are all the same size, shape, and color (red) whereas the queen and female alates have a red body (head and thorax) and black abdomen with the males being smaller than the workers and whole body solid black. They eat insects and love sugar. Their pupae do not have a cocoon. Apologies if the pictures are not enough to make a clear ID, they are quite small but a best guess would be appreciated, thank you!

SIZE: Workers-3mm Queen and female alates-6mm Males- approx 2mm
WHEN: Had for a while so don't remember exactly but I'd say late June to early August
WHERE: Tucson, AZ in my backyard that has a mixture of dirt and grass. Desert environment (Sonoran desert)
APPEARANCE: Workers (all)- Red in color and same size and shape
Queen- Red head and thorax with black abdomen
Alates- Females same as queen with the males being solid black. I noticed in the pictures that the top and sides of female abdomens are black and the underside is more red.
BEHAVIOUR: They will swarm and occasionally they do bite but I have yet to be stung by one. I would say their temperament is mild to moderate, I have picked up a piece of tree bark that they had brood under in their outworld and held it for a while without getting bit or stung while they were swarming on it.
PICTURES: Should be 7 pics- https://imgur.com/a/S00Va42
ADDITIONALLY: I am concerned that they may be an invasive species and what I should do if they are. They are in an enclosed environment so they cannot escape and this is the first time they have produced alates.

Could you get a close up of one of the alataes and one of the workers?

[antperson24]

I am thinking Forelius mccooki, but I'm not 100%. Closer photos will help verify. Also, thank you for all of the great information, it helps a lot.

[PDub101]

Yeah I can try to get a better pic of them, I was using the macro lense on my phone but it just might not be good enough.

[PDub101]

Ok so here are some additional pics, this is the limit of my macro lense but I messaged a cousin of mine who should have better cameras than I do and I'll see about getting better detailed pics. fyi imgur flagged these as possible adult content because I have side/bottom/top in pic descriptions lol
https://imgur.com/a/thn27lt

[antperson24]

Ok so here are some additional pics, this is the limit of my macro lense but I messaged a cousin of mine who should have better cameras than I do and I'll see about getting better detailed pics. fyi imgur flagged these as possible adult content because I have side/bottom/top in pic descriptions lol
https://imgur.com/a/thn27lt

Thanks, those are enough. Within a few days I should have an id that I am confident of.

[PDub101]

Awesome! sounds good, thank you so much

[antperson24]

Alright, I am going to go with Forelius mccooki. Everything matches very well, the color is right, the pupae are unwrapped, the body shape is identical, even the queen coloration is correct.

[PDub101]

Yeah from everything I looked up on F.Mccooki on a few ant websites and an article from Mississippi state university I think that is an excellent match. At the very least I am now confident that they are not an invasive species and are native which was my biggest concern. I really appreciate the help, and thank you!

[antperson24]

Yeah from everything I looked up on F.Mccooki on a few ant websites and an article from Mississippi state university I think that is an excellent match. At the very least I am now confident that they are not an invasive species and are native which was my biggest concern. I really appreciate the help, and thank you!

Glad to help!