Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Help with identifying the species your ants

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AntMomo
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:28 am
Location: Wisconsin

Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10329Post AntMomo
Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:09 pm

A nuptial flight finally happened at some point during the day today, because later in the evening the sidewalks were just crawling with queens and scattered males! So I napped as many as I could. I found what I believe to be just two different species who flew around the same time.

Today's date is 8/24/2016, and I like in south-east Wisconsin. and here are the two types I caught:

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They were all around 9mm long, with very fat gasters. Orangish in color, tops of their gasters and mesosomas being darker. Some of them had wings still on, the wings were fairly dark greyish brown. The last picture is a winged one which I believe is the same species as the other.

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The second kind I caught was a lot smaller, dark orangish with brown parts on the gaster. Only about 4-5mm long, sorry if the pics aren't as good. Caught in the same area, I would see these queens on the same blocks of sidewalk as the other species.

Right click any image and hit "view image" if you want to see their full size. Let me know if you know what these are! Thanks!

AnthonyP163

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10330Post AnthonyP163
Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:14 pm

Hey AntMomo! I know I'm a hour or so away from you and I believe that might they be Lasius Flavus.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

P.S. I caught 11 queens during the whole thing!

AnthonyP163

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10331Post AnthonyP163
Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:17 pm

Actually now that I look closer I know the first one is Lasius Alienus.

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AntMomo
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:28 am
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10332Post AntMomo
Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:26 pm

AnthonyP163 wrote:Hey AntMomo! I know I'm a hour or so away from you and I believe that might they be Lasius Flavus.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

P.S. I caught 11 queens during the whole thing!
Haha nice! I was wondering if you would have seen the same flight today too. I caught 10! I had to run back inside to get more tubes at one point lol.
I had considered lasius for the larger ones, yeah. I'll wait to see some second opinions as well. thank you!

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

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10335Post Batspiderfish
Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:34 pm

AnthonyP163 wrote:Actually now that I look closer I know the first one is Lasius Alienus.
What tells you that? We're definitely in the right genus, by the way.
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.

AnthonyP163

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10343Post AnthonyP163
Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:47 am

Second one is Solenopsis Molesta 99% sure

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Batspiderfish
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Location: Maine

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10344Post Batspiderfish
Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:53 am

AnthonyP163 wrote:Second one is Solenopsis Molesta 99% sure
You might notice that she is lacking the second petiole node. There is another northern ant as tiny as Solenopsis molesta.
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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idahoantgirl
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10345Post idahoantgirl
Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:58 am

Batspiderfish wrote:
AnthonyP163 wrote:Second one is Solenopsis Molesta 99% sure
You might notice that she is lacking the second petiole node. There is another northern ant as tiny as Solenopsis molesta.
I have a solenopsis molesta queen, and while the shape and size looks the same, my queen is bright bright orange
Proverbs 6:6-8

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.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10347Post Batspiderfish
Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:05 am

idahoantgirl wrote: I have a solenopsis molesta queen, and while the shape and size looks the same, my queen is bright bright orange
Solenopsis molesta can be yellow, orange, or brown, but the absence of a second petiole node tells me that she is neither Solenopsis nor in the Myrmicinae subfamily.
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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WillWithAnts
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Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:22 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Caught today! Two more Wisconsin IDs

Post: # 10348Post WillWithAnts
Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:52 am

Yeah, they have to be from the Lasius genus.

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