Maui November 2012 Trip #4
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     Home        Part 1: Coastal Plants        Part 2: Haleakala Subalpine        Part 3: Drift Seeds        Part 4: Insects & Spiders  
Part 4: West Maui Insects & Spiders

© W.P. Armstrong 28 November 2012
   Maui Ant Images:  Maui #1  Maui #2  Maui #3  Maui #4   
Ants: Order Hymenoptera Family Formicidae

  See The Wayne's Word Index Of Ant Genera  

Six Hawaiian Ant Species On Maui

There are no native ants on the Hawaiian Islands, but there are more than 50 introduced species. Some of these are an ecological disaster, and pose a serious threat to indigenous species. In fact, the Argentine ant locally threatens insects that pollinate the endemic silver sword on Haleakala.

A. The large ant at top is a Hawaiian carpenter ant (Camponotus variegatus). Its body is 14 mm long (just over 1/2 inch); B. White-Footed Ant (Technomyrmex albipes); C. Rover ant (Brachymyrmex obscurior); D. Big-headed ant minor worker (Pheidole megacephala); E. The long-legged ant with long scape (lower right) may be the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes), not to be confused with the long-horned crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis); F. The little yellow ant at bottom (Plagiolepis alluaudi) is one of the world's smallest ants with a body only 1/20th of an inch in length (slightly over one millimeter). Image taken with a Nikon D-90.

Hawaiian Carpenter Ant (Camponotus variegatus)

Hawaiian carpenter ant (Camponotus variegatus), the largest ant species in the Hawaiian Islands. This specimen appears to be a queen who has shed her wings.

Ochetellus glaber? or probably Technomyrmex albipes

White-Footed Ant (Technomyrmex albipes)

The white-footed ant (Technomyrmex albipes) was introduced into the Hawaiian Islands from the Indo-Pacific region and is common in coastal areas of Maui. Sony T9 & Nikon D-40x.

Little Yellow Ant (Plagiolepis alluaudi)

"Little yellow ant" (Plagiolepis alluaudi), one of the world's smallest ants with a body only 1/20th of an inch in length (slightly over one millimeter). I discovered one of these minute ants in my alcohol collection vial. It must have fallen into the alcohol when I collected the species in previous image. It is easy to see how tiny ants could be inadvertently carried to these islands in shipments of food and other materials. It also occurs in Japan, but may be native to India or Asia. Nikon D-90.

Big-Headed Ant Minor Worker (Pheidole megacephala) From Maui
I originally thought this was a pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis)

Minor worker of big-headed ant (Pheidole megacephala).

Rover Ant (Brachymyrmex obscurior)

Rover Ant (Brachymyrmex obscurior), a small New World ant. Its range extends from Mexico to Costa Rica and northern South America, and many Caribbean Islands. A similar species occurs in southern Arizona.

  See Bracymyrmex patagonicus in Mesa Arizona  

Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth: Order Lepidoptera Family Sphingidae

The beautiful "pink-spotted hawkmoth" (Agrius cingulata). I discovered this large moth in the fire escape stairway at the Hyatt Grand Regency Hotel, Maui. It pollinates tubular flowers at night with its long proboscis, and is related to our tomato hornworm (Manduca sexta). It is native to the New World tropics, Galapagos and Hawaiian Islands. As a migrant, it flies north to Canada and south to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. I carefully released it when its picture was taken! Sony T9 & Nikon D-40x.

  See The Tomato Hornworm (Manduca sexta)  
See The Sphinx Moth Family (Sphingidae)

Orb Weaver Spider Family: Araneidae

A large orb weaver spider (family Araneidae) photographed at the West Maui Airport. Sony T9.

  See More Orb Weaver Spiders (Family Araneidae)