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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Ants (Formicoidea) » Ants (Formicidae) » Ponerinae » Ponerini
Photo#259765
ant - male
Copyright © 2009 Ilona L.

ant - Male
Cross Plains, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
September 12, 2008
Size: less than 5mm
Late afternoon shots in a shady area so the picture quality is not that good. This parasitic black wasp (which turned out to be an ant) was clambering all over an insect (queen ant) caught in a spider's web. Thought I would post the photos so I can stop wondering whether to post them or not. I can frass them if they are of no use.
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Contributed by Ilona L. on 21 March, 2009 - 11:21am
Last updated 8 December, 2010 - 9:15pm

*
Definitely a male Ponera.
… Brendon E. Boudinot, 25 December, 2012 - 1:27pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Braconids and Ichneumons.
… Ilona L., 21 March, 2009 - 9:23pm login or register to post comments

This one close-up should not be frassed...
Because we have not so many Ponerine males on BG. This little black guy is no parasitic wasp, but an ant male of Ponera or Hypoponera sp. (tribe Ponerini).
He was caught on the spider's web as well as the unfortunate Lasius queen on background, only later so that he was still alive when you found him.
… Richard Vernier, 21 March, 2009 - 5:46pm login or register to post comments

 
Ant
Wow, I really got that ID wrong. The way the black ant was moving all around the queen while on the web didn't look at all like it was caught in the web but then it was getting dark when I took the photos and I probably didn't see it that clearly.
… Ilona L., 21 March, 2009 - 9:27pm login or register to post comments

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