Black and red ant - Utah - August 2015

[ooper01]

I found a small colony in a rotting log in the mountains in Salt Lake City Utah back in April 2015. I found two queens in the colony and have them both. Here is a dead worker from the colony. This worker, and most of the others, is about 5mm in length. The queens are about 9mm or so in length.

[Ants4fun]

Camponotus sp.

[ooper01]

Camponotus sp.

What did you see in the photos that lead to your suggestion of Camponotus?

[Ants4fun]

Larger head, this is a Camponotus minor btw. Also the eyes are smaller than formica, and more toward the side. Look at plenty of pics of both Formica and Camponotus, and you will be able to tell the difference.

[Ants4fun]

I concede. Yes, that us a formica. Confusing however, as it is very similar to a Camponotus sp. Here.

[ooper01]

A message is missing from this post where someone indicated that thorax has a little "notch" in it rather than one continuous smooth rounded top surface. Camponotus have the smooth rounded top surface for a thorax and Formica have the little "notch", which is why Ants4fun "conceded".

[larynx]

interesting .......