High school senior. My interest in insects reaches back to ~2012, when I would catch and release crickets and grasshoppers from the field across my house. Eventually, my interests widened to other groups; I collected many aquatic macroinvertebrates from a small pond, scarabs from plants, mantids, assassin bugs, and every insect I could get my grubby little hands on. In 2017, I discovered ants; since then, that is the taxon that I have focused on. Recently, in 2024, I am learning about the beetle biodiversity in my area and reporting these species to iNaturalist (thanks to those who help me, especially with the Carabidae and Staphylinidae, and especially those who narrow down the ones I am completely lost with).

IDENTIFICATION:
My focus revolves around the Aphaenogaster of eastern and central North America. I am also quite familiar with some other groups, such as the Camponotus, Nylanderia, Crematogaster, Formica, Temnothorax, and Pheidole of the mid-Atlantic. I have experience with all other genera of ants in the region as well, most notably the Strumigenys and Stenamma. I have only been identifying ants for around half a decade. My identification experience consists of both online photos (iNaturalist, BG) and physical specimens. My work with physical specimens mainly pertains to those collected by myself or those sent to me. I also have two months of experience at the Mississippi Entomological Museum under JoVonn Hill where I identified some thousands of ants.

Publication(s): https://bioone.org/search?author=Oliver_Yung

I am currently reviewing the ants of WV, MD, and VA by region. ~23,000+/~43,000+. Western MD, Delmarva, Southeast VA, WV, Southwest VA, GWNF complete. Currently working on Coastal VA. Next is the Chesapeake Region of VA, and the Shenandoah Valley.

OBSERVATIONS:
I keep the vast majority of the beetles, flies, and ants I collect. The beetles, ants, and large flies are pointed and the small flies are slide-mounted with glue. If interested in specimens please private message.

State species firsts (assume VA unless stated otherwise): Himatium errans, Aphaenogaster mariae, Dubiraphia sp., Zeadalopus egenus, Lathropinus picipes, Camponotus caryae, Tmesiphorus carinatus, Carphoborus sp., Synchita fuliginosa, Tanysphyrus lemnae, Bitoma granulata, Stelidota coenosa, Stenopelmus rufinasus, Pityophthorus sp., Monotoma longicollis, Rhyncolus sp., Ptilodactyla carinata, Thysanoes fimbricornis, Bactridium striolatum, Bactridium ephippigerum, Trixagus carinicollis, Catopocerus politus, Ptilinus ruficornis, Atheta sp., Scolytus multistriatus, Laemophloeus fervidus, Ataenius imbricatus, Blackburneus stercorosus, Quedius laticollis, Batrisodes fossicauda, Thienemanniella sp., Aprionus sp., Bibio intermedius (CR), Corinthomyia brevicornis, Borophaga sp., Pseudolycoriella sp., Lycoriella sp., Epidapus sp., Peyerimhoffia sp., Lestremia sp., Crematogaster vermiculata (VA, MS), Myrmica latifrons, Nylanderia concinna, Solenopsis picea, Crematogaster limata, Pheidole carinata, Pseudomyrmex rochai, Hypoponera distinguenda, Acropyga goeldii, Pheidole subarmata (CR), Pheidole susannae, Cardiocondyla minutior (CR), Anochetus mayri (CR), Pheidole scrobifera, Pheidole flavens, Pheidole transversostriata, Nylanderia caeciliae (CR), Technomyrmex difficilis (CR, DC), Tetramorium bicarinatum (DC), Crematogaster curvispinosa, Myrmelachista plebecula, Linepithema dispertitum, Crematogaster moelleri, Hypoponera foeda, Adelomyrmex tristani, Monomorium marjoriae, Pseudomyrmex oculatus, Camponotus brettesi (CR), Paratrachymyrmex intermedius, Odontomachus laticeps (CR), Monomorium pharaonis (El Salvador), Neoponera moesta, Strumigenys margaritae (CR), Strumigenys fridericimuelleri, Octostruma iheringi, Octostruma balzani (CR), Leptogenys josephi, Problomyrmex boliviensis, Solenopsis succinea, Camponotus albicoxis, Brachymyrmex heeri (CR), Pseudomyrmex PSW-14, Brachymyrmex JTL-003, Aphaenogaster N19, Formica subintegra (WA), Temnothorax minutissimus, Nylanderia vividula (VA, MS), Temnothorax nevadensis (WA), Formica incerta (DC), Myrmica punctiventris (DC), Solenopsis carolinensis, Aphaenogaster ashmeadi, Proceratium crassicorne, Strumigenys ornata (MS), Hypoponera opaciceps (MS), Temnothorax longispinosus (MS), Ponera exotica (MS), Pheidole dentigula (MS), Lasius americanus (MS), Monomorium viridum, Hypoponera JTL-003 (CR), Cnesinus strigicollis, Tyloderma capitale, Corticotomus parallelus, Micratopus aenescens, Systelloderes biceps, Cyrtusa subtestacea, Siagonium americanum, Metaphycus sp., Dyschirius haemorrhoidalis, Melittobia digitata, Micratopus aenescens, Plagiolepis alluaudi (DC), Tapinoma melanocephum (DC), Pheidole bilimeki/anastasii (DC), Oxylaemus americanus, Rugilus ceylanensis, Cryptolestes sp., Cryptophilus integer, Cryptophilus obliteratus, Notoxus monodon, Neobisnius occidentoides, Crematogaster vermiculata, Xyleborinus saxesenii (VA, MS), Strumigenys louisianae (MS), Strumigenys rostrata (MS), Strumigenys dietrichi (MS), Epierus sp. (MS), Holotrochus parvulus (MS), Chaetarthria pallida (MS), Tisactia sp. (MS), Clinidium baldufi (MS), Philothermus glabriculus (MS), Ponera pennsylvanica (MS), Uleiota dubia (MS), Clivina pallida (MS), Pheidole morrisii (MS), Pheidole tetra (MS), Pheidole tetra_nr (MS), Proceratium silaceum (MS), Proceratium crassicorne (MS), Hypoponera opacior (MS), Pheidole davisi (MS), Temnothorax curvispinosus (MS), Temnothorax pergandei (MS), Temnothorax schaumii (MS, AL), Neobisnius paederoides? (MS), Amnestus pusillus (MS, VA), Dyschirius haemorrhoidalis (MS), Pasimachus depressus (MS), Canthon viridis (MS), Mioptachys flavicauda (MS), Uloma punctulata (MS), Camponotus caryae (MS), Forelius "mccooki" (MS, AL), Myrmica punctiventris (MS), Tmesiphorus carinatus (MS), Tmesiphorus costalis (MS), Pheidole bicarinata (MS), Sphindus sp. (MS), Ahasverus rectus (MS), Calymmaderus sp. (MS), Epitrix fuscula (MS), Clypastraea fasciata (MS), Scymnus rubricaudus (MS), Monarthrum fasciatum (MS), Monarthrum mali (MS), Stelidota geminata (MS), Thoracophorus costalis (MS, AL), Tachyporus sp. (MS), Apristus sp. (MS), Myrmosula parvula (MS), Silvanus planatus (MS), Bitoma quadriguttata (MS), Platydema americana (MS), Malacocis brevicollis (MS), Synchita fuliginosa (MS), Synchita parvula (MS), Polyderis laeva (MS), Trixagus carinicollis (MS), Eulimnichus sp. (MS), Clastoptera laevigata (MS), Glyphonyx testaceus (MS), Poecilocrypticus formicophilus (MS), Colydium lineola (MS), Cryptolestes sp. (MS), Neomida bicornis (MS), Aulonium parallelopipedum (MS), Sericoderus sp. (MS), Helichus lithophilus (MS), Amphicrossus ciliatus (MS), Tenebroides nanus (MS), Absensiugum teres (MS), Heterocerus sp. (MS), Strumigenys silvestrii (AL), Myrmecina americana (MS, AL), Homaeotarsus cf. parallelum (AL), Arthrolips fasciatus (AL), Temnothorax ambiguus (AL), Xyleborus impressus?, Sericoderus lateralis, Paratenetus punctatus, Colopterus unicolor, Colopterus truncatus?, Silvanoprus scuticollis, Amnestus pallidus, Pseudopityophthorus minutissimus, Curelius japonicus, Monotoma arida, Lathropus robustulus, Orthoperus sp., Aeletes floridae, Astenus brevipennis, Dacne quadrimaculata, Strumigenys pergandei, Hoplandria lateralis, Clambus sp., Nacaeus tenuis, Omosita nearctica, Laelius sp.

State genus firsts: Zeadalopus, Lathropinus, Tmesiphorus, Carphoborus, Tanysphyrus, Stenopelmus, Pityophthorus, Rhyncolus, Thysanoes, Batridium, Ptilinus, Atheta (?), Blackburneus, Epipocus (CR), Thienemanniella, Aprionus, Corinthomyia, Borophaga, Pseudolycoriella (Hemisphere first), Lycoriella, Epidapus, Peyerimhoffia (Hemisphere first), Lestremia, Acropyga (CR), Encarsia (?), Aprostocetus, Cnesinus, Corticotomus, Micratopus, Cyrtusa, Metaphycus, Dyschirius, Melittobia, Micratopus, Cryptolestes, Cryptophilus, Xyleborinus (MS), Epierus (MS), Holotrochus (MS), Chaetarthria (MS), Tisactia (MS), Clinidium (MS), Philothermus (MS), Ponera (MS), Uleiota (MS), Clivina (MS), Mioptachys (MS), Myrmica (MS), Sphindus (MS), Ahasverus (MS), Calymmaderus (MS), Clypastraea (MS), Monarthrum (MS), Thoracophorus (MS, AL), Tachyporus (MS), Apristus (MS), Myrmosula (MS), Bitoma (MS), Malacocis (MS), Synchita (MS), Polyderis (MS), Eulimnichus (MS), Poecilocrypticus (MS), Colydium (MS), Cryptolestes (MS), Neomida (MS), Aulonium (MS), Sericoderus (MS), Amphicrossus (MS), Absensiugum (MS), Heterocerus (MS), Colopterus, Pseudopityophthorus, Curelius (hemisphere first), Lathropus, Orthoperus, Aeletes, Dacne, Hoplandria, Clambus, Nacaeus, Laelius

Site species firsts: Zeadalopus egenus, Thysanoes fimbricornis, Catopocerus politus, Oxylaemus americanus, Batrisodes fossicauda, Aprionus sp., Corinthomyia brevicornis, Solenopsis picea, Crematogaster limata, Pheidole carinata, Pseudomyrmex rochai, Hypoponera distinguenda, Acropyga goeldii, Pheidole susannae, Pheidole scrobifera, Pheidole transversostriata, Crematogaster curvispinosa, Myrmelachista plebecula, Linepithema dispertitum, Crematogaster moelleri, Hypoponera foeda, Adelomyrmex tristani, Monomorium marjoriae, Pseudomyrmex oculatus, Paratrachymyrmex intermedius, Neoponera moesta, Strumigenys fridericimuelleri, Octostruma iheringi, Leptogenys josephi, Problomyrmex boliviensis, Solenopsis succinea, Camponotus albicoxis, Cyrtusa subtestacea, Melittobia digitata, Bitoma granulata, Holotrochus parvulus, Tisactia sp., Clinidium baldufi, Clivina pallida, Tenebroides nanus, Monotoma arida, Astenus brevipennis,

Site genus firsts: Carphoborus, Thysanoes, Aprionus, Corinthomyia, Cyrtusa, Holotrochus, Tisactia

cool site I found (stole) from user "pinesnake"'s profile - https://elias.pschernig.com/wildflower/leastobserved.html?user=oiledolives

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