Solitary, Visual Ant - Pseudomyrmex gracilis

Interesting Behavior

Today I found another one on my bamboo that at first glance was carrying some frass. Upon a closer look (difficult, because these ants have sharp vision, and if you approach, they squirrel away to the other side of the branch), it seemed to be a dead ant of the same species. Looking carefully for a while, I realized it was actually holding on to a yellow ball of something that was apparently attached to the mandibles of the other ant.

I resolved to try to figure out what was going on and headed into the house for some sort of container. I got a container, found the ant again and sort of shoed it into the container. It played squirrel again, lost its grip, and wafted down to the ground at the base of the bamboo.

After some chasing here and there, I finally coaxed it into my container, then proceeded with what I was doing before. When I got to a stopping point, I checked on the ants, and they were both ambling about. Apparently, the second ant wasn't frass after all.

I figure they were both after the same goodie, and one decided to carry both it and the other ant. Or, to put it another way, the first ant was carrying the yellow ball. The second ant refused to let go and rode around instead, holding on to the yellow ball.

… Victor Engel, 30 September, 2013 - 10:27pm

I may have to reconsider

After reading http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/ants/elongate_twig_ant.htm it's possible I may have seen an ant transporting another to a new location for the nest. We did just have about 3 inches of rain, so it's not unlikely a previous nesting site was spoiled. It did, however, look like both ants were holding a mutual item rather than one ant holding another ant. And they appear to be the same caste.

… Victor Engel, 30 September, 2013 - 10:41pm

Reminds me of Laelius. [thum

Reminds me of Laelius.

… Victor Engel, 19 September, 2012 - 7:06pm

Moved

Moved from Ants.

Moved due to comment attached to:

stating that this is the only species in the U.S. that is red and black.

… Victor Engel, 19 September, 2012 - 6:43pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… v belov, 19 September, 2012 - 5:29pm

Pseudomyrmex sp.

see here

… Brad Barnd, 19 September, 2012 - 5:27pm

Thanks. I have another one (d

Thanks. I have another one (different species, obviously) about half the size that I found wandering around the bathroom. I accidentally killed it when trying to catch it.

… Victor Engel, 19 September, 2012 - 5:46pm