9 replies to this topic

[Polyacanthus]

Sorry so late to post, but this regards two species I collected from nuptial flights in my suburban yard on September 10 last year (2021). It was in the evening before dusk. There were many of them, but but distinctly two species. Here they are together for comparison:



I believe the larger, darker ones had dark brown workers but the lighter ones had yellow workers. They are about 9mm and 7mm by my measure.




Interestingly, these are both different from a third species that flew two weeks earlier on 8/25 in the same conditions and location. That one had coloration and size midway between these two, a mid brown about 8mm. I don't have a pic handy but that was identified here as either L brevicornis or nearcticus. I definitely think I had 3 distinct species all together. They were abundant enough I don't believe they came from single colonies.

Thanks!

Edited by Polyacanthus, April 18 2022 - 8:49 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

Darker one is Lasius neoniger, lighter one is Lasius brevicornis.

[madbiologist]

Interestingly, these are both different from a third species that flew two weeks earlier on 8/25 in the same conditions and location. That one had coloration and size midway between these two, a mid brown about 8mm. I don't have a pic handy but that was identified here as either L brevicornis or nearcticus. I definitely think I had 3 distinct species all together. They were abundant enough I don't believe they came from single colonies.
 

Third species is most likely Lasius americanus.

[NicholasP]

Sorry so late to post, but this regards two species I collected from nuptial flights in my suburban yard on September 10 last year (2021). It was in the evening before dusk. There were many of them, but but distinctly two species. Here they are together for comparison:

Resize_20220419_002049_9054.jpg

I believe the larger, darker ones had dark brown workers but the lighter ones had yellow workers. They are about 9mm and 7mm by my measure.

Resize_20220419_002048_8403.jpg
Resize_20220419_002048_8735.jpg

Interestingly, these are both different from a third species that flew two weeks earlier on 8/25 in the same conditions and location. That one had coloration and size midway between these two, a mid brown about 8mm. I don't have a pic handy but that was identified here as either L brevicornis or nearcticus. I definitely think I had 3 distinct species all together. They were abundant enough I don't believe they came from single colonies.

Thanks!

The queen in the bottom picture as others have said is certainly Lasius brevicornis. Nice find!

[Mettcollsuss]

Third species is most likely Lasius americanus.

If you check the other ID thread they posted, which I'm assuming is the 3rd queen, it's definitely Cautolasius.

[madbiologist]

Ah, didn't know they made another, thanks!

[Polyacanthus]

Yes here is my post from 8/25/21 with the other queen found two weeks prior. I collected half a dozen of them. I will try to get a pic of all three species together for comparison.

https://www.formicul...michigan-82521/

Edited by Polyacanthus, April 19 2022 - 2:27 PM.

[Polyacanthus]

Here was all three of them together.

Edited by Polyacanthus, April 19 2022 - 3:25 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

The top one is Lasius neoniger. The two bottom ones are Cautolasius, either nearcticus or brevicornis. The two are similar, and can only reliably be told apart by microscopic pictures of the mouthparts or by habitat: nearcticus is found in wooded/forest habitats, while brevicornis is found in more open areas like fields, lawns, etc. The suburbs would fit brevicornis habitat better, though nearcticus might be a possibility if you have forest preserves or woods or something nearby. The two Cautolasius queens you have do look slightly different, so maybe its possible that you have one nearcticus and one brevicornis, though from personal experience I've noticed that brevicornis queens can be variable.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, April 19 2022 - 4:08 PM.

[Polyacanthus]

Thanks. I figured the dark one must be neoniger. Maybe I have both brevicornis and nearcticus. I'll have to check their maxillary palps once they have workers.

Edited by Polyacanthus, April 19 2022 - 7:51 PM.