July 15, 2017, Longmont, Colorado id help

Help with identifying the species your ants

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Mekneys
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 4:36 pm

July 15, 2017, Longmont, Colorado id help

Post: # 26606Post Mekneys
Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:01 pm

http://imgur.com/a/S8jhi
Caught her on July 15, 2017, in Longmont, Colorado. She's a Pogonomyrmex as far as I can tell but can't figure out the species. She is about 10-12mm long, almost always has the end of her abdomen facing straight down, and her wing scars look black. I think she's semi-claustral, tries to escape if she has no food. I have 10 of these queens, they all look and act the same way. Any help with figuring out her species would be greatly appreciated.

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ACaseoftheMondays
Posts: 73
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:54 am
Location: Northern Colorado

Re: July 15, 2017, Longmont, Colorado id help

Post: # 26644Post ACaseoftheMondays
Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:08 pm

I have a couple Pogonomyrmex myself, and have been trying to get a solid ID for a while now with no luck. As of right now, I think mine are Occidentalis, and I believe yours probably are, too. Apparently, the most common types in CO are P. Occidentalis and P. Rugosus. P. Rugosus has a lighter-colored abdomen. P. Occidentalis has offset mandibles (http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_occidentalis). I really hope someone more knowledgeable than me comes by to help sort it out. Of course, it could also be P. Barbatus.

Do you think you found them immediately after a flight, or do you think maybe they were foraging when you found them? The latter was true in my case, which is what leads me to believe they are P. Occidentalis. To be safe, you can just put them in semi-claustral setups and see what happens. I suggest leaving the cotton in the tube, and inserting a piece of drinking straw to make a smaller opening. Mine seem to like that. Also, add some loose dry play sand in the foraging area.
Founding:
Pogonomyrmex Occidentalis
Solenopsis Molesta
Formica Argentea
Lasius Flavus
Colonies:
Tetramorium sp.E

Mekneys
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 4:36 pm

Re: July 15, 2017, Longmont, Colorado id help

Post: # 26650Post Mekneys
Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:18 pm

ACaseoftheMondays wrote:
Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:08 pm
I have a couple Pogonomyrmex myself, and have been trying to get a solid ID for a while now with no luck. As of right now, I think mine are Occidentalis, and I believe yours probably are, too. Apparently, the most common types in CO are P. Occidentalis and P. Rugosus. P. Rugosus has a lighter-colored abdomen. P. Occidentalis has offset mandibles (http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_occidentalis). I really hope someone more knowledgeable than me comes by to help sort it out. Of course, it could also be P. Barbatus.

Do you think you found them immediately after a flight, or do you think maybe they were foraging when you found them? The latter was true in my case, which is what leads me to believe they are P. Occidentalis. To be safe, you can just put them in semi-claustral setups and see what happens. I suggest leaving the cotton in the tube, and inserting a piece of drinking straw to make a smaller opening. Mine seem to like that. Also, add some loose dry play sand in the foraging area.
I think your right about them being P. Occidentalis. I think they were out foraging which explains them trying to escape while they still have eggs. And I'll try putting a straw for them to crawl through, I would never have thought of that, thank you.

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