ant_delivering_flowers

- No description given -

comments (8)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Elliot, was the identification issue resolved, or do you still need assistance? Posted 10 years ago
1. Elliot Pordes
  
  King Cobra
  
  Hi Ferdy, I used The Atta cephalotes instead of The Atta sexdens and it accepted the name. Thanks Posted 10 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Are they synonyms, or are those two different species? Posted 10 years ago
  2. 1. Elliot Pordes
      
      King Cobra
      
      I took this photograph at butterfly world in St Albans UK and have since spoken to them about Leafcutter Ants to understand more about the species. Apparently there are 41 species part of the Attini tribe which are fungus growing ants. Atta sexdens is another species. Posted 10 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        So, is the current name "Atta cephalotes" correct then? Posted 10 years ago

Annette Flottwell

Lion

I am pretty sure this is not an ATTA at all, it is an Acromyrmex. I had uploaded a link to the ID sheet for leaf cutters somewhere in the forum.
The spines tell me it is an Acromyrmex, the head and colour tell me it is an octospinosus. It MIGHT be a coronatus.
To make sure I need the REAL geotag. They don't live in the UK to the best of my knowledge.
What did the nest look like? How wide were the roads? did they take seeds at all? Which altitude was it? Coronatus live mainly above 1200m. Posted 9 years ago, modified 9 years ago
1. Elliot Pordes
  
  King Cobra
  
  Hi Annette. As I said above I took this photograph at Butterfly World in St Albans UK. They advised me of the name. The ants were housed in very large perspex displays. The centre has recently had to close due to financial losses so I am unable to obtain any further information. Posted 9 years ago
2. 1. Annette Flottwell
    
    Lion
    
    OK thank you. How strange they live in perspex tunnels, here they make HUGE underground nests.
    If you have more photos here is the ID sheet if you want to have a go.
    http://www.nisperal.org/docs/Zompopos_guiap114.pdf
    Trust me I am pretty used to leafcutters, have to deal with them just about every day because one of our neighbours just lets them go and then we have no lime and no tomatoes :(
    
    You may want to add the zoo tag, that helps with the confusing geotag.
    
    Posted 9 years ago

The Acromyrmex octospinosus

''Acromyrmex octospinosus'' is a species of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus ''Acromyrmex''. It is found in the wild naturally in Central America ranging from southern Mexico down to Panama; and across northern South America in Venezuela.

Foundresses of the leaf-cutting ant ''Acromyrmex octospinosus'' forage for leaves as garden substrate . The fungal pellet and substrate usually are attached to rootlets, which are used as a platform for the garden. This arrangement.. more

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Similar species: Wasps, Bees, Sawflies And Ants

Species identified by Annette Flottwell

By Elliot Pordes

Uploaded May 3, 2015. Captured Apr 30, 2015 12:07 in 8 Spencer Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 5EG, UK.

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Canon EOS 70D
f/7.1
1/400s
ISO400
90mm