Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Ants (Formicoidea) » Ants (Formicidae) » Formicinae » Formicini » Amazon Ants (Polyergus) » breviceps species group (Polyergus breviceps species group) » Western Amazon ant (Polyergus mexicanus)
Photo#940530
Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus
Copyright © 2014 Alice Abela

Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus
Santa Barbara County, California, USA
June 18, 2014
Size: ~7mm
Found in Burton Mesa chaparral habitat on hard rocky soil. A troop of raiders had stirred up a whole hive of Camponotus vicinus? which were attacking the amazons as they emerged from the leaf litter with larvae (I'm assuming the amazons were making off with Formica lasioides which were also in the vicinity)

Images of this individual: tag all
Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus Western Amazon Ant - Polyergus mexicanus
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Alice Abela on 19 June, 2014 - 1:04am
Last updated 21 June, 2014 - 8:52am

Moved
This larva, and at least one of the others definitely look like Camponotus to me. So, the Polyergus may have done one of their rare raids on a non-host species, which would also explain the C*vicinus's agitation. Interesting observation.
Note the mite on the ant's propodeum.
… James C. Trager, 21 June, 2014 - 8:52am login or register to post comments

 
Interesting...
That would make sense. The carpenter ants definitely weren't happy. I could hear the leaf litter rustling as the big majors were trying to intercept and grab the amazons. A lot of the amazon's had mites.
… Alice Abela, 21 June, 2014 - 4:20pm login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact