New form of ant?

Mystery solved, its an oddly big, Camponotus pennsylvanicus, a rather large and healthy Black Carpenter Ant at its full maximum size.

No further discussion.
I'm not very familure with Ants of the world... but I do know all my ants locally. Big and small, real or fake (eg: cow killer ant is a wingless wasp)

Today I was suprised, sitting, calmly, on my deck cover outside... was a massive ant. I freaked, I had to catch it. I had never seen a ant that big... or was it an ant at all? I did not know!

I quickly caught it. Astonished it did not struggle to get out of the ziplock bag I had handy.

These are my observations on this ant.

It looks close to, but not exactly like, an Argentina Ant. Also to be noted, its close to a Pavement Ant as well, however to my knowledge, are not in Florida... both Pavement Ant and Argentina Ant are 1/16ths - 1/8ths of an inch long. They both bare similar trates and colorings and markings. However, this ant has some unique markings... and thats nothing compared to its size. I soon messured it to find out just what length this ant was. 1/2 of an inch (give or take a few, I cannot get exact messurement (eg: 1 part longer or shorter than half an inch, as I do not want to crush the thing in the plastic, it was already pinned as it was just to get the photo that I will soon show).

The ant's attena, head, and legs are the only things that bare resemblance to those other two species, I looked hard and long at many photos and websites for those two ants and also for other species. From .EDU to .COM and pest control to college websites for ant species in Florida. Nothing matched the exact markings, shape, and size. Not even winged/unwinged male drone & young queen versions match this ant right. Even if you put wings on this ant.

After further study, I noticed the ant was rather caring for itself. It always cleaned its attena, sitting still in one place while doing so. Its a very calm and gentle beings. If I pin it gently between the plastic, it struggled to get out, runs around to find a safe spot, then just sits. If I poke it through the plastic, it keeps its attena locked to my finger; if I move away it does not pursue, nor does this ant try to bite or sting the plastic. It consistantly keeps its attenas moving around it's enviroment without moving its body.

Upon close observations, this ant does have a stinger and large jaws. It is making no attempt to escape, lay eggs, bite me, and so forth. Though I do not wanna be bit or stung, I will not pick it up outside of this bag so do not ask me too.

Im posting this here because I cannot locate the species type, period, online. I will soon be letting it go as well, and see how it reacts in the wild to other ants and animals. However, I believe this big ant could kill a small to medium sized venomless American Wolf Spider if it had to... it does seem powerfull all around, and a hard exoskeleton... but neither aggressive nor defensive unless I really, really, try to kill it.

Here are the images for quick linking and such, all together.
IMAGE 1
Image 2
iMage 3

If you know specificly what kind of ant this is, please say so and I will correct myself. I want specific matchs. No queen, drone, or warrior of any local species matchs this ant specificly in size and body parts both.

HOWEVER: DO NOTE I LIVE IN ONE OF THE MOST POLUTED COUNTIES IN THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT, It COULD be a mutant. The odds of that are unlikely, but considering its size and oddly passive nature, it can be considered.

I will be releasing this ant soon to see if it goes to any colonies.


Thank you,
Foxe

[edit on 17-3-2006 by Foxe]

Here is what you have to do. Call your local universtiy, let them know that you have found a possible non-native species of ant and that you are willing to turn it over for evaluation. Im sure they would be more then happy to have a look at what you got there.


Peace

I got a small argentina ant into the bag with the big new ant. Close observations show similarities side by side but NOT exactness.

To be noted however, is the large, new ant sized holes on the small argentina nest site. Multiple. Also noted was fire ants, upon getting near these large holes by the small nest, retreated almost immediantly. The small argentina ant, seems not hostile to the large ant. However, the large ant, upon sensing the small ant, opened its jaws and scared the small ant away... but did not chase. The small argentina ant is now staying on the other side of the bag, way the hell away from the big guy for good reasons.

If this ant resembled the queens and male drones, I would say mystery solved. But it does not. Instead its none chase down, and destroy attitude, which is unlike any local ant... simply makes me believe this is A: A new species to my local that is not a destroy and kill type... or B: Argentina ant mutated...

Ill call my university in the area later for a response, right now anyone who could assist me is out of town this weekend. IMAGE5

[edit on 17-3-2006 by Foxe]

[edit on 17-3-2006 by Foxe]

Mystery solved, its an oddly big, Camponotus pennsylvanicus, a rather large and healthy Black Carpenter Ant at its full maximum size.

No further discussion.

I had giant carpenter ants on my balcony 6 floors up.

I freaked out when I saw them. They were like ordinary ants but half and inch big. They were amazingly equally spaced about 30 the length of the balcony (70 feet) and they moved very fast.

After a net search I found they were wood/carpenter ants that are attracted to conifers. I had a dead scots pine tree in a pot that I had just cut down and I think they nested in there.

I wish I took photos. I killed one and in minutes the ordinary ants of which I have many were feeding off it.