Identify Some Bugs for me...

[s0me0nesmind1]

So I was cleaning out some potted plants - moving some to other pots, etc... when I pulled out one plant and hundreds of little ant-like creatures ran everywhere. They are very small - probably smaller than your typical ant.

Any idea what these are? Sorry if the pictures are crappy. I've seen these before, but I have never been able to identify them. I'm actually kind of worried they might be termites? Anyone have a clue? Thanks!

 

[Strk]

Not termites, but a Google search makes me think ghost ant.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Look like termites to me from pic - though it's not the greatest

I'm unsure where you live, but judging by the first pic it looks somewhere warm and dry. They tend to seek out moisture, and judging by the first pic again it looks like there was plenty of it in that pot. Luckily you don't have to worry about the pot collapsing (if it was wood). I'm sure they make pesticides to get rid of them pretty easily. Hopefully this pot wasn't located indoors....

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Look like termites to me from pic - though it's not the greatest

I'm unsure where you live, but judging by the first pic it looks somewhere warm and dry. They tend to seek out moisture, and judging by the first pic again it looks like there was plenty of it in that pot. Luckily you don't have to worry about the pot collapsing (if it was wood). I'm sure they make pesticides to get rid of them pretty easily. Hopefully this pot wasn't located indoors....

Nope, not usually dry. Hot and humid in the summer, semi-cold in the winter. I live in Texas somewhat near the gulf, so I don't think dry really pertains to my area.

I sincerely hope these aren't termites....

 

[eldorado99]

They look like termites but smaller than any termite I have ever seen..

 

[Strk]

They look like termites but smaller than any termite I have ever seen..

Termites aren't segmented like ants (well, big butt style)

They really look like these even though the picture looks bad

 

[Schmide]

Edit: Nope

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Termites aren't segmented like ants (well, big butt style)

They really look like these even though the picture looks bad

So simple question: If these are "Ghost Ants" - do ghost ants typically colonize only in plants or something? I guess my point is -I've never seen these guys pop out of a typical ant mound, only near my plants or such.

 

[Iron Woode]

pics aren't blurry enough.

 

[11thHour]

Are they bitter or sweet?

 

[fralexandr]

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/ghost_ant.htm

Generally, the colonies occupy local sites that are too small or unstable to support entire large colonies. The sites include tufts of dead but temporarily moist grass, plant stems, and cavities beneath detritus in open, rapidly changing habitats (Oster and Wilson 1978). Indoors, the ant colonizes wall void or spaces between cabinetry and baseboards. It will also nest in potted plants (Smith and Whitman 1992). Thus, the colonies are broken into subunits that occupy different nest sites and exchange individuals back and forth along odor trails (Oster and Wilson 1978). Hölldobler and Wilson (1990) report that ghost ants are opportunistic nesters in places that sometimes remain habitable for only a few days or weeks

If the potted plant was purchased or transferred from somewhere else, that might explain why you're finding them there, though it's also possible they came from somewhere else. Ants are pretty good at spreading with human assistance, due to their small size.
The ghost ant is a pretty invasive species, and many of the garden variety flowering plants were african imports at some point.

 

[Paratus]

Second on the ghost ants.

Other option they might be Rasberry (Crazy) Ants

Both can be a pain in the ass to get rid of. Neither bite though.

 

[ElFenix]

Bug ID thread? Bug ID thread.

What kinda moth is this?

(i'm guessing this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antheraea_polyphemus )

 

[Paratus]

Bug ID thread? Bug ID thread.

What kinda moth is this?

(i'm guessing this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antheraea_polyphemus )

Reaper?

 

[CraKaJaX]

Bug ID thread? Bug ID thread.

What kinda moth is this?

(i'm guessing this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antheraea_polyphemus )

Holy mother of sweet pearl!!! WTF?!!! That is some form of pterodactyl. JFC. I hate bugs.

 

[CZroe]

Bug ID thread? Bug ID thread.

What kinda moth is this?

(i'm guessing this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antheraea_polyphemus )

Similar to a Luna Moth with the fern-like antennae and hairy legs. I'd look at closely-related moths.

 

[fralexandr]

Bug ID thread? Bug ID thread.

What kinda moth is this?

(i'm guessing this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antheraea_polyphemus )

//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160307/8729e6d443bd1b82416bf2426d3cd385.jpg
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160307/2124a6ab563a4c349aee45b3adf6e20c.jpg

sure looks like one
http://bugguide.net/node/view/181883/bgpage
http://bugguide.net/node/view/915952/bgimage

Similar to a Luna Moth with the fern-like antennae and hairy legs. I'd look at closely-related moths.

the fern-like antenna just means it's a male moth . The Luna & Polyphemus are both Saturniid moths, however.

 

[ElFenix]

I had a polaroid of a luna moth for my 8th grade bug project. Read it was threatened/endangered so decided to let it go


/csb