I believe I've finally determined the kind of ants that were attending the "Ant Party". However, to confirm I really need to catch one and put it under a magnifying glass to get a good look at it. An important identification characteristic is the number of segments or "nodes" in the abdomen. Pavement ants have two nodes in the abdomen, one pair of spines on the thorax and a sting on the tip of the abdomen. Pavement ants also have grooves on their head.
Pavement ant workers are amongst one of the smallest ants at approximately 1/8-inch; light to dark brown or blackish. The winged forms may occur during most warm months, but are most common in June and July. It's July now and this would explain why each morning, these past couple of days, our pool is full of dead floating winged ants; Pavement ants, the winged form, know as Swarmers. Apparently they can't swim and neither can chipmunks.
(See my Wednesday, June 27, 2007 posting titled "Ant Party").
1 comment:
You have way TOO much time on your hands!!!!!!!!!!
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