Formica Ant Mound - Formica

Moved

Moved from Ants.

… James C. Trager, 9 January, 2015 - 3:07pm

So it really doesn't have any

So it really doesn't have any notable bristles on the head or thoracic dorsum? The ant looks like Formica*neorufibarbis, but the habitat and nest structure seem atypical. This is in my experience an ant of rotting wood or peat in boggy places, but I don't know thee ecology of western ones at all. Myrmecologist A.C. Cole did report it nesting in mounds of mineral soil in Idaho, perhaps in a locality like that in which you found these. That would be my tentative ID. Take a look at this page and see if the pictures match your specimens in hair patterns, and in particular, the elongate punctures on the "cheeks", of which I may be seeing a hint in your drawings - http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Formica_neorufibarbis.

Maybe you can get a friend with a good camera to try for some more magnified, brightly illuminated images...

… James C. Trager, 19 December, 2014 - 4:31pm

Formica ant

Hi James- I did as you suggested and looked at an image of Formica neorufibarbis and it clearly does not match. However in my search on the antwiki website I found what looks like a nearly perfect match- Formica montana. After reading descriptions of its morphology and nest (a steep-sided,conical mound of soil) I am beginning to think this is the one. What do you think? By the way I enjoyed your article titled An Introduction to Ants (Formicidae) of the Tallgrass Prairie. Thank You! Joy

… Joy Markgraf, 28 December, 2014 - 11:57am

Comparison

James- After looking at the pictures you suggested, I see that there is a very close match on the elongate punctures on the "cheeks" and what I can see of the hair patterns but there are some noticeable differences: 1) the ocelli in my specimen are almost nonexistent 2) the gastor is not quite as highly polished.

… Joy Markgraf, 20 December, 2014 - 9:59am

bristles

There are bristles but maybe I did not draw them properly. Where I see them:
1) 10 along the ridge of the head
2) 4 on the frons
3) 6 near the subocular sulcus
4) 4 on the clypeus

The place where I find the mounds has rotting wood (in an aspen grove where there are mounds);also those in the meadow are in boggy areas. The mounds are made of white volcanic ash.

If this doesn't help could I send you a sample? Joy

… Joy Markgraf, 19 December, 2014 - 6:33pm

F*montana seems and unlikely

F*montana seems an unlikely ID based on the locality. Would you like to send specimens? Contact jamesDOTtragerATgmail for address.

… James C. Trager, 9 January, 2015 - 3:11pm

Moved

Moved from Ants.

… Charley Eiseman, 19 December, 2014 - 3:11pm

Hard to say without some nice

Hard to say without some nice pictures of the ants themselves. Maybe you can get some images and append them to this post...
Update - I agree with genus Formica, but will still need a more magnified view to get closer to the species.

… James C. Trager, 12 December, 2014 - 12:54pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.
I think you will have much better luck if you can get photos of the actual ants, but with the photo placed in the ant section at least the right people will see it.

… Charley Eiseman, 10 December, 2014 - 5:57pm

Ant Mound

Thank You! I will submit a photo of it. It is very tiny and preserved in Ethyl alcohol. Joy

… Joy Markgraf, 10 December, 2014 - 7:33pm

Hate to be a pest about this,

Hate to be a pest about this, but if you can submit closer, more magnified images, that will help. Definitely Formica, but need to see hair patterns for species ID.

… James C. Trager, 17 December, 2014 - 12:34pm

Formica ant

Hi James- I appreciate your expert help. Since my photos are not adequate to show details (and this is best my camera can do) I would like to send you a scientific illustration of this ant. You talk about counting hairs- can you tell me exactly what I should be aware of to create an accurate drawing of it? Joy

… Joy Markgraf, 18 December, 2014 - 9:32am

Great idea.- # erect setae

Great idea.
- # erect setae on margin of head in full face view
- # erect setae on profile (actually a half of the ant) of thorax
Illustrations in this publication, especially those for the lepida complex pp.115-140, to which I think this might belong, can be a guide. http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/images/3/3b/Francoeur_1973.pdf

… James C. Trager, 18 December, 2014 - 1:56pm