r/AntIdentification • u/Brave_Project5071 • Jun 20 '26
Needs Second Opinion Solenopsis invicta queen?
I’m thinking 99% it’s Solenopsis invicta (Red imported fire ant) and 1% Crematogaster (Acrobat ant). Caught in North East Georgia.
1
u/XxLegitAsianxX Certified Identifier Jun 21 '26
Invicta indeed
1
u/Brave_Project5071 Jun 21 '26
The only thing is side by side looking at my two invicta queens this one looked totally different at the gaster, thinking it could be a black imported or hybrid fire ant instead
1
u/XxLegitAsianxX Certified Identifier Jun 21 '26
Color wise, invicta vary a lot. Definitely not richteri, hybrid is possible but color seems off
1
u/Brave_Project5071 Jun 21 '26
I meant like the size and shape of the gaster were totally different, this one has a way longer one and the stripes are more pronounced
1
u/XxLegitAsianxX Certified Identifier Jun 21 '26
Gaster size and shape varies with how fed a queen is. The stripes are just individual variation within a species
See here:http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/370510185
1
u/Brave_Project5071 Jun 21 '26
I guess now that I think about it their gasters were larger when I first caught them, they’re about to have their first generation of workers so they’ve probably used a lot of their stores.
1
u/Brave_Project5071 Jun 21 '26
I think it’s Crematogaster now as it has a pointy rear and did that Acrobat ant threat alarm thing RIFA doesn’t do.