5mm queen caught mid-May in NJ. Please help ID

[pxlima]

Please help me ID this queen. She was caught in Northern NJ, USA a few days ago (mid-May) along with 3 other queens of the same species in a park. They are all 5mm long (1/5 of an inch) and all of them have laid a few eggs since caught. I am thinking Tapinoma sessile? Thank you!

[pxlima]

it might also be lasius americanus or argentine ant, but those are just the closest looking i have found. I really have no clue what else to look for. I'd appreciate a much more experienced person to give their opinion. Thanks

[WillWithAnts]

Lasius americanus looks like a good match to me. TheRealAntMan IDed a bunch flying around that part of the country. Earliest nuptial flights of Lasius spp., he says.

[pxlima]

thank you! Hopefully he can confirm

[TheRealAntMan]

Brachymyrmex depillis queen, surprised they're flying already. Also, check your measurements too 5mm is way too big for B. depillis.

[pxlima]

Brachymyrmex depillis queen, surprised they're flying already. Also, check your measurements too 5mm is way too big for B. depillis.

Thank you. Are you sure about this though? Just wondering since you found it odd that they are flying already and say 5mm is way too big and I saw in another post you IDed a 5mm queen caught in NY recently as lasius americanus. I caught 2 more the same day that I believe are the same species.

Queen #2



Queen #3 (this one still has her wings)



Can you please confirm they are all the same species. Thanks again!

[TheRealAntMan]

Brachymyrmex depillis queen, surprised they're flying already. Also, check your measurements too 5mm is way too big for B. depillis.

Thank you. Are you sure about this though? Just wondering since you found it odd that they are flying already and say 5mm is way too big and I saw in another post you IDed a 5mm queen caught in NY recently as lasius americanus. I caught 2 more the same day that I believe are the same species.

Queen #2



Queen #3 (this one still has her wings)



Can you please confirm they are all the same species. Thanks again!

I can tell you right now for sure that isn't Lasius. With those new pictures, I can 100% tell you that this is Nylanderia and probably N. flavipes .

[pxlima]

thank you very much

[pxlima]

One more question. I looked at AntsCanada's video of nuptial flight schedules and he doesn't mention this species. Does that mean Nylanderia is relatively rare?

[TheRealAntMan]

One more question. I looked at AntsCanada's video of nuptial flight schedules and he doesn't mention this species. Does that mean Nylanderia is relatively rare?

There is a lot of species AntsCanada doesn't mention. AntsCananda only metioned the commonly kept species in North America.