Solenopsis invicta queens

[Persnickety Parson's]

Why fire ants? Those colonies scare the crap out of me. I think camponotis are pretty cool, probably my favorites!

I don't know where you are, but nuptial flights for them will be starting soon, generally nocturnal but you can sometimes find them in the morning, late afternoon.

As for fire ants, they are a bold captive ant species, and they need to work together more so than larger ants, plus I love ants that bite and sting

 

[cyberlocc]

@Persnickety Parson's

Thought you would like this than.

They are back out for the summer, we have a huge colony on the edge, and right outside from our property. I think its 1 have there is like groups of holes in mounds, they come in and out of. Like 4-5 mounds total, about 15-20 feet apart.

So IDK if its a really big colony, or a few colonies, not sure if its the same species as here, but they are fire ants I am pretty sure.

 

[cyberlocc]

Hmm looks like CF compressed the image, lets try that again with a cropped version.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Hmm looks like CF compressed the image, lets try that again with a cropped version.

View attachment 264713

They dont look like fire ants actually. Also fire ants don't really build nests like that, they hide the entrances.

At the very least they aren't Solenopsis invicta I dont think they are geminata either but the only way to be sure is post that cropped imagine on bugguide.

Solenopsis invicta exterminates geminata and other fire and species in their area.

 

[cyberlocc]

They dont look like fire ants actually. Also fire ants don't really build nests like that, they hide the entrances.

At the very least they aren't Solenopsis invicta I dont think they are geminata either but the only way to be sure is post that cropped imagine on bugguide.

Solenopsis invicta exterminates geminata and other fire and species in there area.

They are from what we have been told. Solenopsis xyloni, not "Red Imported Fire Ants" like you have but rather "Southern Fire Ants".

I didn't mean they were your type, just that since you like Fire Ants you may like these .

I live in Arizona we don't have RIFAs AFAIK, just these guys, which are native not imported.

We also haven't had this exact colony (well this year) checked out. However its similar location to the ones that look the same and we have tried to get rid of. Those were said by the exterminator (that failed apparently) to be those southern fire ants.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

They are from what we have been told. Solenopsis xyloni, not "Red Imported Fire Ants" like you have but rather "Southern Fire Ants".

I didn't mean they were your type, just that since you like Fire Ants you may like these .

I live in Arizona we don't have RIFAs AFAIK, just these guys, which are native not imported.

They really do look like Solenopsis xyloni, you should keep some if you find queens, general before and after a rain in the desert regions.

 

[cyberlocc]

They really do look like Solenopsis xyloni, you should keep some if you find queens, general before and after a rain in the desert regions.

I'm not brave enough to dig around for queens lol. Do queens come out? There is ALOT of these suckers I am scared to get bit haha.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

I'm not brave enough to dig around for queens lol. Do queens come out? There is ALOT of these suckers I am scared to get bit haha.

Yes, queens come out, it's called a nuptial flight, queens are also harmless, just walk around before and after a rain storm and you should find them. Also the rare humid days as well.

Here's a newly mated queen looking for a nest Cannot bite or sting.

Here's what a queen of yours looks like
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1258348/bgimage

https://bugguide.net/node/view/607603/bgimage

https://bugguide.net/node/view/1232448/bgimage

They shed their wings after mating.

 

[cyberlocc]

Tried to snap a better pic. They are so dang fast!

I tried my live focus to see if tgat will help.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Tried to snap a better pic. They are so dang fast!

I tried my live focus to see if tgat will help.

View attachment 264760

Those maybe a pheidole species, those heads kinda give them away, fire ants tend to have smooth heads. But it's really hard to tell. They look very similar.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Have you watched AntsCanada on You Tube?

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Have you watched AntsCanada on You Tube?

Yes, and if you like him then check out ants aus as well.

 

[MissSkittles]

If y’all want some fire ants, just come to my yard and take as many as you want. I surrendered it to them years ago after fighting a losing battle to get rid of them.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

If y’all want some fire ants, just come to my yard and take as many as you want. I surrendered it to them years ago after fighting a losing battle to get rid of them.

You know if you leave the pyramid ant(Dorymyrmex bureni) nests alone, the fire ant population will drop, the two species have developed a rivalry so to speak.

 

[MissSkittles]

You know if you leave the pyramid ant(Dorymyrmex bureni) nests alone, the fire ant population will drop, the two species have developed a rivalry so to speak.

Hmm...interesting. Hoping I have some pyramid ants then...unless they have a wicked bite too.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Hmm...interesting. Hoping I have some pyramid ants then...unless they have a wicked bite too.

No they don't

 

[MissSkittles]

No they don't

Cool! Gotta find these little creatures then and nurture them.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Cool! Gotta find these little creatures then and nurture them.

Dorymyrmex bureni is their name, their nests are easy to spot too, good luck and post pics.

https://bugguide.net/node/view/261330

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

The first workers are about to emerge, soon the colony will begin to rapidly grow.

This will end the month long fast that the queens had to undergo while at the same time feeding the growing young. They are visibly weak and seldom move now to conserve what little energy they have left.

 

[The Wild One]

Still very gross. Cool, but gross. Kinda like a frog dissection. ?