Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Help with identifying the species your ants

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DrPants
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Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 1:34 pm
Location: Maryland

Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12444Post DrPants
Tue Sep 27, 2016 8:35 pm

I have a few queens I could use some help Identifying. One set was collected August 19th and 20th. And the other set was collected September 19th. I live in northern Maryland (about 30 minutes from the PA border and 30 minutes from the WV border. There are at least 3 species here. Both collection sets were the day after days in which a heavy rainstorm has come after a long hot dry period. The September day the air was thick with flying ants (mostly males). I collected 12 in about 30 minutes just on my front sidewalk. The August dates was similar but not quite as many ants. They were collected on sidewalks all around my neighborhood.

Type 1:
Some of these were collected August 19th some September 20th. These are small and reddish. They don't seem to be laying eggs (even those from August). I'm worried the space in the test tube is too big for them. They are 3-4 mm. There is a penny somewhat visible in a few of the pictures. I'm including some pictures of a dead one since it was easier to focus on.
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Type 2:
I only have one queen like this. Collected August 20. ~13mm. Penny visible in all pictures.
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Type 3:
Some of these were collected in August and some in September. They are all ~14mm. You can see a penny in some shots. Those from August have eggs/pupae/cocoons. One still has wings (extremely agitated). One has slightly different color (Less prominent striping).
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These seem the same to me but a slightly different color. The stripes on the gaster are darker.
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Batspiderfish
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Location: Maine

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12450Post Batspiderfish
Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:04 pm

Brachymyrmex depilis
Tetramorium sp. e


You didn't specify when you found each Lasius.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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DrPants
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Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 1:34 pm
Location: Maryland

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12456Post DrPants
Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:33 pm

Batspiderfish wrote:Brachymyrmex depilis
Tetramorium sp. e


You didn't specify when you found each Lasius.
Type 2 / Tetramorium was found in August.

My remaining Type 1 / Brachymyrmex depilis were all found in September. I had 2 from August but both have died. (4 remaining)

I have 3 of the Type 3 / Lasius spp. from August (including the one with the different gaster stripes), and 2 from September (including the one with wings)


I was in such a hurry to take pictures without stressing them out too much that I neglected to assign any identification that would allow me to refer each picture to a specific individual. I suck I know. I keep the September and August test tubes in different shoe boxes though so I know at least when things were caught. I'd need to take more pictures though to be able to tell you which picture came from which box at this point. Are you thinking that you could narrow down the ID to species if I could do a better job with that?

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12467Post Batspiderfish
Wed Sep 28, 2016 12:17 am

Can you get measurements of these queens with an actual ruler (at least for the Lasius)? most of these measurements (all except Brachymyrmex) are almost twice as large as these ants should be, and it might help identify the oddball Lasius.

I'd appreciate the organization, because I am having trouble following which queens you are referring to. Also, do you remember which part of the month you collected the darker Lasius?
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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DrPants
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 1:34 pm
Location: Maryland

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12503Post DrPants
Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:39 pm

Batspiderfish wrote:Can you get measurements of these queens with an actual ruler (at least for the Lasius)? most of these measurements (all except Brachymyrmex) are almost twice as large as these ants should be, and it might help identify the oddball Lasius.

I'd appreciate the organization, because I am having trouble following which queens you are referring to. Also, do you remember which part of the month you collected the darker Lasius?
Thank you for being so patient. I took a whole new set of photos and actually assigned #s to each individual so I could track which picture came from which. I also used a ruler rather than eyeballing their size on a penny.

Tetramorium sp. E ?
Queen 2
Caught 8/19
Size ~ 7mm
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Lasius spp.
Queen 3
Caught 8/19
Size ~9mm
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Queen 4
Caught 8/19
Size ~10mm
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Queen 5
Caught 8/19
Size ~9mm
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Queen 10
Caught 9/19
Size ~9mm
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Queen 11
Caught 9/19
Size ~10mm
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Brachymyrmex depilis ?
Queen 6
Caught 9/19
Size ~4mm
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Queen 7
Caught 9/19
Size ~4mm
No image. Similar to 6,8,9

Queen 8
Caught 9/19
Size ~4mm
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Queen 9
Caught 9/19
Size ~4mm
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Batspiderfish
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Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12505Post Batspiderfish
Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:58 pm

Thank you so much! This revision is much better! :D

Queen 2 is Tetramorium sp. E

Queens 3 and 4 might be Lasius alienus, but I'll need an in-focus shot of the antennal scapes and the front of the mandibles (showing off the length of the teeth) to be sure.

Queens 5, 10, and 11 all look like Lasius neoniger.

And Queens 6-9 are Brachymyrmex depilis.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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DrPants
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 1:34 pm
Location: Maryland

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12512Post DrPants
Wed Sep 28, 2016 2:55 pm

Thank you! I plan to sell/give away all but one of these queens (there don't seem to be any GAN farmers in Maryland) so I'd like to be able to provide a good ID to the new at mom/dad.I'll try to get some better photos when the first nanitics appear.

I'm using plastic culture tubes rather than glass test tubes so its a bit more challenging to get a clear photo. The cap of the tube also covers more than half of the claustral chamber so if they are hiding under the cap it is very challenging. All of this with an old iPhone too.


Since the Brachymyrmex depilis is polygynous do you recommend keeping them separate or should I place all 4 in one tube together? I don't think any have eggs yet, and the 2 I caught in August didn't lay any before dying.

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RainbowScience
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Location: Vancouver WA

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12514Post RainbowScience
Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:25 pm

I would be careful of putting all of the Brachymyrmex together. Brachymyrmex depilis should have 4 segments to the abdomen and some of those appear to have more. Possibly multiple Brachymyrmex species.

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Batspiderfish
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Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12522Post Batspiderfish
Wed Sep 28, 2016 4:47 pm

RainbowScience wrote:I would be careful of putting all of the Brachymyrmex together. Brachymyrmex depilis should have 4 segments to the abdomen and some of those appear to have more. Possibly multiple Brachymyrmex species.
I count five gastral tergites on every living queen. Brachymyrmex depilis is the only Brachymyrmex sp. north of Virginia.

ALTHOUGH, Brachymyrmex depilis (as we know it) might actually be more than one species.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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RainbowScience
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:33 pm
Location: Vancouver WA

Re: Maryland, USA August and September Multiple Queens

Post: # 12527Post RainbowScience
Wed Sep 28, 2016 5:26 pm

Batspiderfish wrote:
RainbowScience wrote:I would be careful of putting all of the Brachymyrmex together. Brachymyrmex depilis should have 4 segments to the abdomen and some of those appear to have more. Possibly multiple Brachymyrmex species.
I count five gastral tergites on every living queen. Brachymyrmex depilis is the only Brachymyrmex sp. north of Virginia.

ALTHOUGH, Brachymyrmex depilis (as we know it) might actually be more than one species.
You are absolutely correct, my mistake. I don't know where I read 4, it is indeed 5 for queens. I am surprised by how dark queen 8 appears in the picture, aren't B. depilis typically yellow? Mine is very yellow.

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