Hill covered with grass and twigs for protection, located on a grassland plateau in the middle of a Badland (Bentonite) area.
Several workers in stone crevices of SW exposed stone overhang at night, in Baccharis Salvia Malosma Ceanothus community above seasonal creek with Quercus.
The absence of a clear indent along the mesonotum, long propodeal spines, and ground dwelling habit lead me to believe these are T. morongo. I could be wrong though.
Tujunga Wash North
Apparently caught in a web on a buckwheat plant
I was trying not to step on the ant nest as I was photographing the Star Gilia flowers. Link to Gilia observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200789419
Subgenus Endiodioctes is a member of North American Honeypot Ants (Genus Myrmecocystus)
BugGuide: https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Myrmecocystus
Ant Anatomy: Like all insects, ants have three main parts to their body: head, thorax, and abdomen. Other notable aspects of the ant's anatomy include . . ." https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/ants/body-structure
Insects that enter homes I.D. help: https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/ants/harvester-ants/ and other categories of insects: https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
COMPARED TO
California Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus)
Link to confirmed observation nearby: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200640489
Link to observation of close-up view of California Harvester Ant body: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/75956729
BugGuide https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Pogonomyrmex+californicus
How to identify Harvester Ants (Pogonomyrmex californicus):
Color: Red, black, or brown
Size: From 4.5 mm to 13 mm long
Description: Harvester ants have a fringe of hairs lining the underside of the surface of the head.
"Harvester Ants belong to the genus Pognomyrmex and are prevalent throughout North America. They are known for their seed-collecting behavior and the painful sting they impart. The scientific genus name of these insects means “bearded ant,” which alludes to the fringe of hairs called psammaphore that lines the underside of the surface of the head. Harvester ants use the hairs to carry soil and seeds, though not all species of pogonomyrmex ants possess the feature.” https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/ants/harvester-ants/
California Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus) is an insect in the Ants (Formicidae) family that is found in open, warm, and sandy areas. Typically, it forages during the day as individuals or in a group, forming columns as they work. It preys on arthropods and collects seeds. It can form colonies of hundreds of individuals. The nest entrances are often irregular and are surrounded by loose sand arranged in a circular or semi-circular pattern. Reproduction occurs around July, when reproducing individuals are present.
Ant Anatomy: Like all insects, ants have three main parts to their body: head, thorax, and abdomen. Other notable aspects of the ant's anatomy include . . ." https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/ants/body-structure
Great website for identification of species: https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/ants/harvester-ants/ and other categories of insects: https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
NOT
Desert Leaf-cutter Ant (Acromyrmex versicolor) Native ant that is found in the Colorado and Sonoran deserts when there has been rain. "They form large, distinctive nest craters that are covered with leaf fragments. Living and dead leaves are collected by workers and used to cultivate fungus gardens. Each colony can have multiple queens, if they do this is a practice called polygyny, and each queen has her own batch of “starter” fungus. This species does not sting.
The average worker is 2–6 mm long. Individuals of A. versicolor are a variety of sizes due to the division of labour seen within their colony. They are reddish brown and have a narrow waist. They are also covered in spines; at least 4 spines on the rear of their thorax, distinct spines on the rear corners of their head, and small bumps on their abdomen. " https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/50161-Acromyrmex-versicolor
BugGuide: https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Acromyrmex+versicolor
Ant Anatomy: Like all insects, ants have three main parts to their body: head, thorax, and abdomen. Other notable aspects of the ant's anatomy include . . ." https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/ants/body-structure
Great website for identification of species: https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/ants/harvester-ants/ and other categories of insects: https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/