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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Ants (Formicidae) » Odorous Ants (Dolichoderinae) » Tapinoma
Photo#154344
Ants under rock with queens? - Tapinoma
Copyright © 2007 Peter Bryant

Ants under rock with queens? - Tapinoma
Upper San Juan Creek, Orange County, California, USA
October 27, 2007

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Ants under rock with queens? - Tapinoma Ants under rock with queens? - Tapinoma Ants under rock with queens? - Tapinoma
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Contributed by Peter Bryant on 28 October, 2007 - 3:17pm
Last updated 9 November, 2007 - 3:11pm

Yes - Argentine Ants (Linepithema humile)
Large colonies of this invasive ant have so many queens that some of them go out freely on main trails, even by day. This phenomenon is widespread among Odorous ants, Mediterranean species Tapinoma nigerrimum being another example.
… Richard Vernier, 28 October, 2007 - 5:28pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks Richard! I thought it
Thanks Richard! I thought it must be something different because of the white bands on the abdomen and some other patterning that I don't see on Argentines. And some of the workers seem to be carrying droplets of something on their abdomens. I added an image showing that. Your suggestions are most welcome!
… Peter Bryant, 28 October, 2007 - 6:01pm login or register to post comments

 
OOPS! YOU were right...
And I was utterly wrong!
By adding the close-up of the single worker, you made me realize these were indeed no Argentine ants, but, ironically, members of the Tapinoma genus I evocated. They are shorter than Lineptihema ants, and petiolus is barely visible from above.
This could well be Tapinoma sessile, the most widespread North-American speices. As for the "droplets", thiey seem to be small phoretic or parasitic mites (probably at a juvenile stage).
… Richard Vernier, 29 October, 2007 - 6:23am login or register to post comments

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