Ants Of Daley Ranch 5

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San Diego County Ants:
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Daley Ranch Ants:  
  Part 1  
  
  Part 2  
  
  Part 3  
  
  Part 4  
  
  Part 5  
  
  Part 6  
  
  Part 7  
  
  Part 8  
  
  Part 9  
Ants Of Daley Ranch, San Diego County Part 5 (of 9)

Velvety Tree Ant (Liometopum occidentale)

These aggressive, biting ants were abundant on an old fence post near a coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) along Ranch House Road. They give off a pungent odor when disturbed.

Velvety tree ants (Liometopum occidentale) under a coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) along Ranch House Road at Daley Ranch. If you place your hand near their ant trail they will quickly crawl onto your fingers and proceed to bite without hesitation!

Harvester Ant: Pogonomyrmex subnitidus


Merriam Mtns near I-15, a few miles west of Daley Ranch.

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus in the nearby Merriam Mtns: This species is very similar to P. californicus and is listed as a subspecies of the latter species in some references. P. subnitidus has also been reported from Palomar Mtn, Scripps Ranch, and near Santa Ysabel. This species clearly has propodeal spines which are typically absent in P. californicus.

Harvester ant queen (Pogonomyrmex) digging a new nest in the middle of Creek Crossing Trail. Probably not the best choice because of all the hikers and mountain bikes.

Pogonomyrmex californicus In South Escondido

Pogonomyrmex californicus is similar to P. subnitidus except it typically does not have propodeal spines. It may also occur at Daley Ranch.

  Pogonomyrmex californicus at Salton Sea  

Black Harvester Ant (Messor andrei = Veromessor andrei)

Large harvester ant nest (Messor andrei) on Boulder Loop trail 30 August 2015 at 7:00 PM.

Harvester ant (Messor andrei): After giving the colony a water-saturated cotton ball and Nature Valley Granola (which they seemed to enjoy), they still went ahead and bit the hand that fed them. At least they can't sting!

Harvester ant (Messor andrei): Like the desert species Messor pergandei, the colonies include major and minor workers. This magnified minor worker is only 5 mm long.

Harvester ant (Messor andrei = Veromessor andrei) major worker.

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