10 replies to this topic

[KitsAntVa]

I’m happy to say. I think this may work!
I have a duo queen colony of Lasius claviger with around 25 claviger workers I used for hosts.
But the main colony is the one queen with 4 umbratus workers and 1 claviger because they are doing very well. I hope to catch some umbratus and claviger queens very soon in addition to the ones I have.
Lasius claviger 1 queen colony. This queen has 5 workers and today I fed them honey soaked apple slice and a piece of a meal worm. Right now they are actually eating it and I was able to see the queen spray one of the workers: it literally looked like a staring contest.
I’ll track their progress on here and hopefully they make it!

Edited by KitsAntVa, October 12 2020 - 5:48 AM.

[KitsAntVa]

I FORGOT! To add to all this excitement I remembered that I found a Lasius brevicorne colony or worker I mean! Now I know we’re to look for them next year! I know this because I crushed the worker and sniffed it lol. I think I have a colony in my front yard to!

[Kaelwizard]

I FORGOT! To add to all this excitement I remembered that I found a Lasius brevicorne colony or worker I mean! Now I know we’re to look for them next year! I know this because I crushed the worker and sniffed it lol. I think I have a colony in my front yard to!

When you say you sniffed it do you mean it didn't smell like citronella and that's how you know? 

[KitsAntVa]

Yea it didn't smell like citronella and it also had a slight difference between a claviger worker and brevicorne or nearticus worker because the gaster was all yellow like the thorax and the thorax and head were also smaller.

[Ants_Dakota]

brevicornis workers are smaller and brighter yellow than claviger, and they are polygynous.

[RushmoreAnts]

 they are polygynous.

There are more obvious differences between their queens than that........

[KitsAntVa]

Yea these were more bright and yellow and also a little smaller so i guess i know where i'm going next year to hunt lasius!

[RushmoreAnts]

I really don't see why it would matter if it were claviger, aphidicola, or brevicornis. Their workers all generally have the same bright coloration.

[KitsAntVa]

Because if i catch a brevicorne or nearcticus queen then she will lay her own egg and in turn i won't have to go through the trouble of starting a parasitic colony, but they do keep the mosquitos away so i'll keep my parasitic colony for now.

[Kaelwizard]

Because if i catch a brevicorne or nearcticus queen then she will lay her own egg and in turn i won't have to go through the trouble of starting a parasitic colony, but they do keep the mosquitos away so i'll keep my parasitic colony for now.

You do realize that the citronella spray is only a defense mechanism right? They don't always smell like that unless disturbed. If you want to keep mosquitos away they won't make a difference.

[KitsAntVa]

I know i was just playing about that and its not very strong anyway so it wouldn't make it out the test tube.