6 replies to this topic

[ColKurtz]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: 
2. Date of collection:  June 24, 2019, approx 8pm
3. Habitat of collection: Was collected in school yard, in a grassy area, underneath debris from a fallen tree/rotting log,  a few feet away from a paved surface.  The wings were disturbed as demonstrated in the photos, which indicated to me this was not a disturbed nest.  That said, other ants were in the general area, including C. pennsylvanicus .  
4. Length (from head to gaster):6-7mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture:  Honey brown, gaster appears to have stripes
6. Distinguishing characteristics: eyes appear tiny in my opinion.  Gaster is small relative to body for a female (not 100% sure this is a female), unlike what is typically seen in many Camponotus sp
7. Distinguishing behavior:  None
8. Nest description:  Unknown

9. Nuptial flight time and date: Not witnessed  

 

Having a bit of difficulty with ID.  First thought was L. murphyi or similar parasitic Lasius sp. but having seen a number of those before, this did not clearly present itself to me as one, perhaps due to the wings obscuring my view of the distinctive body shape of same.  

 

 

Album: june.24.2019

4 images

0 comments

 

Thanks for any assistance with this one. 

[ColKurtz]

Photographs problem fixed

[VoidElecent]

Lasius interjectus

[ColKurtz]

Thank you.  We have so many parasitic lasius in my area it is hard to keep them straight.  

Lasius interjectus

[Martialis]

I caught one of these the other day. Then I had the wisdom to put her in a place where she could escape. 

[RushmoreAnts]

 

Thank you.  We have so many parasitic lasius in my area it is hard to keep them straight.  

Lasius interjectus

 

I believe that species can be identified by their orange queens, like you have. L. claviger and L. umbratus are dark brown/black, and L. latipes  is red.

[AntsBC]

 

 

Thank you.  We have so many parasitic lasius in my area it is hard to keep them straight.  

Lasius interjectus

 

I believe that species can be identified by their orange queens, like you have. L. claviger and L. umbratus are dark brown/black, and L. latipes  is red.

 

 

You should never fully base an identification off of color, especially for Acanthomyops group Lasius. In this subgenus, color is a variant, so solely relying on it to make identifications will almost always lead to inaccuracies. 

Edited by AntsBC, June 29 2019 - 3:30 PM.