Ant queen identification

Help with identifying the species your ants

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HaydenP
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:35 pm
Location: New Orleans

Ant queen identification

Post: # 50567Post HaydenP
Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:51 pm

Hi, I feel like I’ve been posting a lot, so I apologize for that, but I am really curious as to what species of ant this is. I suspect pheidole but I didn’t think they were flying anymore. It was 96 degrees F today so maybe that’s why. Also, I never actually saw them fly. I am almost positive they were reproducing by budding (explained in a different post). She has her wing scars and was relatively close to the nest, and I was unable to acquire workers with her. I caught two of these girls and was also wondering if they could be housed together, semi- or fully claustral. Basically, any info and the ID would be a huge help. It was caught in southeastern Louisiana and she is slightly longer than a solenopsis queen so around 11 mm. Thanks in advance!!

P.s. I’m posting this off my phone so I can only provide the link to the pics

https://imgur.com/gallery/cC436iz
Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Bierschneeman
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:11 pm
Location: louisiana

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50574Post Bierschneeman
Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:56 pm

okay lets look together, because im not quite sure.
two petioles, looks like the antenna are wide set at base, Myrmicinae likely.

need dorsal (or side view) to see how the post petiole connects to gaster, but id guess not crematogastini tribe.

defintely not sturmigenys, Solenopsis, xenomyrmex, and wasname (:p) so i assume not two antennael clubs segments, likely three or four.

defintely not any of the 11antennae segments options so its probably 12 antennae segments(its a guess without looking)

this leaves me with a lot more options, that i need a better image for, id say stenamma, pheidole, or myrmica are good guesses, but i favor pheidole because of the comparitive petiole widths.

you can see I am mostly guessing.
I recently used a microscope from work to work the keys to a specific species (using a worker key, and nothing would do besides using a microscope), no they shouldnt be flying, but i confirm Forelius is and they shouldnt be.

all this said, That is really really huge.
could you get better pictures?
and if you know where the colony is can you grab a major? much easier to identify from a major.

pilifera is a larger Pheidole species, but i dont think its that large (but i also am doing worker keys, so not sure of queens)
Founding:
3 Solenopsis I/X
5 Tapinoma sessile
1 Nylanderia terricola/vivulda

Colonies:
1 Brachymyrmex patagonicus
1 Pheidole soritis
1 Tapinoma sessile

The difference between a hobby and a scientific pursuit, is detailed notes.

HaydenP
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:35 pm
Location: New Orleans

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50575Post HaydenP
Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:39 pm

Bierschneeman wrote:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:56 pm
okay lets look together, because im not quite sure.
two petioles, looks like the antenna are wide set at base, Myrmicinae likely.

need dorsal (or side view) to see how the post petiole connects to gaster, but id guess not crematogastini tribe.

defintely not sturmigenys, Solenopsis, xenomyrmex, and wasname (:p) so i assume not two antennael clubs segments, likely three or four.

defintely not any of the 11antennae segments options so its probably 12 antennae segments(its a guess without looking)

this leaves me with a lot more options, that i need a better image for, id say stenamma, pheidole, or myrmica are good guesses, but i favor pheidole because of the comparitive petiole widths.

you can see I am mostly guessing.
I recently used a microscope from work to work the keys to a specific species (using a worker key, and nothing would do besides using a microscope), no they shouldnt be flying, but i confirm Forelius is and they shouldnt be.

all this said, That is really really huge.
could you get better pictures?
and if you know where the colony is can you grab a major? much easier to identify from a major.

pilifera is a larger Pheidole species, but i dont think its that large (but i also am doing worker keys, so not sure of queens)
Thanks for the reply! I can get better pictures of the ant when I get home. I don’t have pics of the majors, but I have really bad pictures of the minors. I can try to find a major tonight or tomorrow but I am almost sure it’s pheidole because of the workers. I went ahead and got about 5 of the minor workers to put in with a queen because if it is a budding queen, I think that’s how it works in the wild.
Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50606Post JoeHostile1
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:15 am

HaydenP wrote:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:51 pm


P.s. I’m posting this off my phone so I can only provide the link to the pics

https://imgur.com/gallery/cC436iz
You can just use the direct link option to embed the picture in the forums.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

MorbidBugg
Posts: 284
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
Location: Orangeville

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50607Post MorbidBugg
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:16 am

Bierschneeman wrote:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:56 pm
okay lets look together, because im not quite sure.
two petioles, looks like the antenna are wide set at base, Myrmicinae likely.

need dorsal (or side view) to see how the post petiole connects to gaster, but id guess not crematogastini tribe.

defintely not sturmigenys, Solenopsis, xenomyrmex, and wasname (:p) so i assume not two antennael clubs segments, likely three or four.

defintely not any of the 11antennae segments options so its probably 12 antennae segments(its a guess without looking)

this leaves me with a lot more options, that i need a better image for, id say stenamma, pheidole, or myrmica are good guesses, but i favor pheidole because of the comparitive petiole widths.

you can see I am mostly guessing.
I recently used a microscope from work to work the keys to a specific species (using a worker key, and nothing would do besides using a microscope), no they shouldnt be flying, but i confirm Forelius is and they shouldnt be.

all this said, That is really really huge.
could you get better pictures?
and if you know where the colony is can you grab a major? much easier to identify from a major.

pilifera is a larger Pheidole species, but i dont think its that large (but i also am doing worker keys, so not sure of queens)
I agree with this definitely Myrmicinae and judging by the size of gaster amd shape of mandibles along with everything else you've already broken down. I'm pretty positive for Pheidole sp. but a side shot of her petiole mesoma and gaster would take away any doubts
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.

HaydenP
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:35 pm
Location: New Orleans

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50611Post HaydenP
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:48 am

Image
MorbidBugg wrote:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:16 am
Bierschneeman wrote:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:56 pm
okay lets look together, because im not quite sure.
two petioles, looks like the antenna are wide set at base, Myrmicinae likely.

need dorsal (or side view) to see how the post petiole connects to gaster, but id guess not crematogastini tribe.

defintely not sturmigenys, Solenopsis, xenomyrmex, and wasname (:p) so i assume not two antennael clubs segments, likely three or four.

defintely not any of the 11antennae segments options so its probably 12 antennae segments(its a guess without looking)

this leaves me with a lot more options, that i need a better image for, id say stenamma, pheidole, or myrmica are good guesses, but i favor pheidole because of the comparitive petiole widths.

you can see I am mostly guessing.
I recently used a microscope from work to work the keys to a specific species (using a worker key, and nothing would do besides using a microscope), no they shouldnt be flying, but i confirm Forelius is and they shouldnt be.

all this said, That is really really huge.
could you get better pictures?
and if you know where the colony is can you grab a major? much easier to identify from a major.

pilifera is a larger Pheidole species, but i dont think its that large (but i also am doing worker keys, so not sure of queens)
I agree with this definitely Myrmicinae and judging by the size of gaster amd shape of mandibles along with everything else you've already broken down. I'm pretty positive for Pheidole sp. but a side shot of her petiole mesoma and gaster would take away any doubts
This may or may not work. I tried doing a direct link to a side view and two of the small workers I caught with it. And thank you for replying!

Image

Image

Image

Image

https://imgur.com/a/4vEZp0j

I included just a copy paste link in case it didn't work. I tried watching the videos but couldn't find a direct link on Imgur, Imgbb, or Flickr
Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus

MorbidBugg
Posts: 284
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:11 pm
Location: Orangeville

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50619Post MorbidBugg
Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:27 am

Yeah still looks like pheidole sp to me but I'm now a little more on the fence haha...

And to find the link for imgur. Click on the photo so it enlarges there should be a new drop down menu that says get share links and it will be one of the copy and past able links that show up... it's a little tricky to find at first.
Ants are life's most successful invaders. Understand and respect that power.

Bierschneeman
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:11 pm
Location: louisiana

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50700Post Bierschneeman
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:41 pm

with the new pics, defintely not any Crematogastrini tribe.

unfortunately, not a lot of my keys are good without closer pictures, like i said, counting segments in its antennae.


. And
even if we all agree on Pheidole, it took me working with a microscope to narrow my colony identification down. Lot of the keys require counting the teeth in the cavity under the mandibles, or identifying the face as wrinkled (carinulate), pock marked (fovealate), or smooth. or how ar on feature goes until it switches. et cetera. all things unidentifiable without a microscope.
Founding:
3 Solenopsis I/X
5 Tapinoma sessile
1 Nylanderia terricola/vivulda

Colonies:
1 Brachymyrmex patagonicus
1 Pheidole soritis
1 Tapinoma sessile

The difference between a hobby and a scientific pursuit, is detailed notes.

HaydenP
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:35 pm
Location: New Orleans

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 50842Post HaydenP
Wed Sep 19, 2018 10:23 am

Bierschneeman wrote:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:56 pm
okay lets look together, because im not quite sure.
two petioles, looks like the antenna are wide set at base, Myrmicinae likely.

need dorsal (or side view) to see how the post petiole connects to gaster, but id guess not crematogastini tribe.

defintely not sturmigenys, Solenopsis, xenomyrmex, and wasname (:p) so i assume not two antennael clubs segments, likely three or four.

defintely not any of the 11antennae segments options so its probably 12 antennae segments(its a guess without looking)

this leaves me with a lot more options, that i need a better image for, id say stenamma, pheidole, or myrmica are good guesses, but i favor pheidole because of the comparitive petiole widths.

you can see I am mostly guessing.
I recently used a microscope from work to work the keys to a specific species (using a worker key, and nothing would do besides using a microscope), no they shouldnt be flying, but i confirm Forelius is and they shouldnt be.

all this said, That is really really huge.
could you get better pictures?
and if you know where the colony is can you grab a major? much easier to identify from a major.

pilifera is a larger Pheidole species, but i dont think its that large (but i also am doing worker keys, so not sure of queens)
Image

Image

https://imgur.com/a/wAPIyDF here is a link to the majors. again I apologize for not getting Imgur to work for me with the pictures
Founding:
Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Bierschneeman
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:11 pm
Location: louisiana

Re: Ant queen identification

Post: # 51007Post Bierschneeman
Wed Sep 19, 2018 9:17 pm

beautiful ants.

it is too bad about magnification. But i am now 95% sure its pheidole.
cant be 100% because I cant see specific key features.

as i said before, getting a species would require a microscope. If you were closer than 5 hours away Id suggest i could take a major and get back to you.

But its still huge, whats the size of the majors?
make sure you give the queen some privacy.
The largest Pheidole species in north America has 4mm long heads (majors), not found in Louisiana. ( this is rhea, has super majors)
Founding:
3 Solenopsis I/X
5 Tapinoma sessile
1 Nylanderia terricola/vivulda

Colonies:
1 Brachymyrmex patagonicus
1 Pheidole soritis
1 Tapinoma sessile

The difference between a hobby and a scientific pursuit, is detailed notes.

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