44 replies to this topic

[Trailandstreet]

Hi there, now I wanna introduce some ants of my neighbourhood or even from our yard.

I live near the Austrian- Bavarian border, it's also called Voralpenland, which means it is the prealpine land. It's on an elevation from about 300 to 700 Meters above 0 (900-2100feet)

The ants you will see almost everywhere are Lasius niger and if you have a closer look at them, you can also find Lasius cf flavus (maybe myops). Serviformica are also everywhere to find, but they do not apear in these massive amounts, so you will only see them running alone, but fast.

In the woods you can find ants like Formica rufa or polyctena, Camponotus ligniperdus, Dolichoderus quadropunktatus and of course Temnthorax, but these little imps are not so easy to spot.

Dolichoderus quadripunctatus

Serviformica fusca

Formica rufa

Camponotus ligniperdus

Lasius sp - probably L niger with a lot of pupae

 

[dspdrew]

Nice. wook used to post pictures of those Formica a lot; they're really cool looking.

[Myrmicinae]

It seems that L. niger are dominant across many (most?) regions of Europe.  I wonder what it is about their biology that has allowed them to be so overwhelmingly successful.

Edited by Myrmicinae, June 7 2015 - 9:05 PM.

[Trailandstreet]

Lasius niger is the most dominant ant in human formed regions or urban habitats. In other areas, more other ants succeed.

One of their main profit is, that they are really fast in confiscating every larger source of food by recruiting other ants.

If you put a larger drop of honey on the floor, within minutes, it is sorounded by these ants.

[Ants4fun]

However, lasius only is found in colder weather. I bet a person in Texas has never seen lasius.

[Trailandstreet]

However, lasius only is found in colder weather. I bet a person in Texas has never seen lasius.

That's true. The great border here are the alps. On the southern side you will find almost only Pheidole, Messor or even Cataglyphis.

Otherwise these ants cannot get on with the colder climate.

[GDVP]

It seems that L. niger are dominant across many (most?) regions of Europe.  I wonder what it is about their biology that has allowed them to be so overwhelmingly successful.

 

Lasius are EVERYWHERE in Europe

 

I see them 24/7

[Myrmicinae]

How common are Tetramorium caespitum colonies across urban habitats of Europe?  T. caespitum is by far the dominant ant species in US urban ecosystems, so it is interesting to note that L. niger may be outcompeting them in the native range.

Edited by Myrmicinae, June 8 2015 - 7:55 AM.

[Barristan]

In Germany (and other countries with similar or colder climate) Lasius niger is a lot more common than Tetramorium caespitum. The warmer the climate gets the more common Tetramorium caespitum is. Rob Dunn (guest post on Alex Wild's blog) wrote 2012 about his visit to Northern Italy:
 

An hour later, the students returned to gather the ants and found three species. There was a species ofMonomorium I had never seen before, a species of cornfield ant (Lasius emarginatus) and, lo and behold, the pavement ant, Tetramorium caespitum, exactly the same species that runs this way and that behind my daughter’s school. I came to Italy to find unusual new ants and found the ants I am mostly likely to see at home!  

 

 

 

I could never observe any fighting between Lasius niger and Tetramorium caespitum, maybe they dodge each other?

Edited by Barristan, June 8 2015 - 8:18 AM.

[Ants4fun]

How common are Tetramorium caespitum colonies across urban habitats of Europe?  T. caespitum is by far the dominant ant species in US urban ecosystems, so it is interesting to note that L. niger may be outcompeting them in the native range.

That is debateable, I live in a city, and have never seen Tetramorium in my life.

[Miles]

However, lasius only is found in colder weather. I bet a person in Texas has never seen lasius.

As someone who attended the Ants of the Southwest course in southern Arizona and saw many Lasius there, I'd have to respectfully disagree. I would not be surprised at all if there were Lasius in the more temperate regions within Texas.

Edited by Miles, June 8 2015 - 10:04 AM.

[Ants4fun]

Interesting. I have never seen lasius in a plastic that had a very mild winter... are you sure they were Lasius? There are several other ants, forelious for example, that look a lot like Lasius...

[Miles]

Interesting. I have never seen lasius in a plastic that had a very mild winter... are you sure they were Lasius? There are several other ants, forelious for example, that look a lot like Lasius...

With three of the world's best myrmecologists present, yes, I couldn't be more sure that we were observing Lasius.

[dspdrew]

I'm not exactly sure where you guys were Miles, but it looked like an elevation high enough to receive significant snow in the winter, so I wasn't surprised you found Lasius. From what I was told by James C. Trager , Lasius are only found where it snows.

[dermy]

 

It seems that L. niger are dominant across many (most?) regions of Europe.  I wonder what it is about their biology that has allowed them to be so overwhelmingly successful.

 

Lasius are EVERYWHERE in Europe

 

I see them 24/7

 

Even at 4am?

 

 

Nice pictures those are some really cool ants .

 

 

Drew that is some cool information thanks

[Trailandstreet]

What concerns Tetramorium, I only found them a few times and till now, I only could find one nest.

 

It's right, that Lasius is only common in colder climates. Some species are really addictet to colder climates so as Lasius balearicus, which only lives above 900m. Maybe some Lasius sp live in warmer countries, but they are not so dominant there.

[Myrmicinae]

 

How common are Tetramorium caespitum colonies across urban habitats of Europe?  T. caespitum is by far the dominant ant species in US urban ecosystems, so it is interesting to note that L. niger may be outcompeting them in the native range.

That is debateable, I live in a city, and have never seen Tetramorium in my life.

 

 

What are the dominant urban ant species in your area?

[Ants4fun]

We have lot of lasius in our cities. In the suburbs we have a lot of Formica and Myrmica, as well as a load of Lasius. We actually have a large diversity. Within my block, we have several types of Lasius, several types of Formica, myrmica, different Camponotus sp, Crematogaster, Solenopsis molesta, Ponera pennsylvanica, Aphaenogaster, Strumigenys sp, cf. Forelious sp, and many more unidentified ones!

[Trailandstreet]

I think most of the Tetramorium are underrepresented, because of their hidden way of living.

[BrittonLS]

However, lasius only is found in colder weather. I bet a person in Texas has never seen lasius.

Not even once.