3 replies to this topic

[Izzy]

Hey all, I'm going to assume the consensus to my question will be "hibernate them" but thought it might be helpful for me to learn more about these species.

 

Back in mid-August I caught two different Lasius species in mass in the same mountainous location on the same night. Their identifications were here: https://www.formicul...mega-id-thread/

The first Lasius species, the smaller one, was identified as either Lasius brevicornis or nearcticus. They are polygynous and I have put them into hibernation as they have not laid any eggs and I've read that they won't until they overwinter. They seemed very slow and sluggish like most ants do when ready for diapause.

 

The other species, the bigger one, was identified as Lasius, subgenus Lasius? I wasn't aware a subgenus and genus could be the same. I haven't been able to find much information on them. Anyway, these Lasius I have not put into diapause yet but they produced a bunch of brood and one of them even produced a worker.

 

Do I just shove them in the garage or fridge as is? I've been trying to slowly reduce the temperature of the room they're in down to 60 so they won't freak out when I put them in the garage at 50 degrees.

 

What should I have done differently? I was waiting for a sign of them slowing down but it never really came. What should I expect from these Lasius subgenus Lasius? Its interesting to me to find such different behavior between two species of the same genus, but I bet its not all that uncommon I just haven't caught many different species in the same genus except for Camponotus and they've all been pretty much the same so far.

[Ants_Dakota]

Hey all, I'm going to assume the consensus to my question will be "hibernate them" but thought it might be helpful for me to learn more about these species.

 

Back in mid-August I caught two different Lasius species in mass in the same mountainous location on the same night. Their identifications were here: https://www.formicul...mega-id-thread/

The first Lasius species, the smaller one, was identified as either Lasius brevicornis or nearcticus. They are polygynous and I have put them into hibernation as they have not laid any eggs and I've read that they won't until they overwinter. They seemed very slow and sluggish like most ants do when ready for diapause.

 

The other species, the bigger one, was identified as Lasius, subgenus Lasius? I wasn't aware a subgenus and genus could be the same. I haven't been able to find much information on them. Anyway, these Lasius I have not put into diapause yet but they produced a bunch of brood and one of them even produced a worker.

 

Do I just shove them in the garage or fridge as is? I've been trying to slowly reduce the temperature of the room they're in down to 60 so they won't freak out when I put them in the garage at 50 degrees.

 

What should I have done differently? I was waiting for a sign of them slowing down but it never really came. What should I expect from these Lasius subgenus Lasius? Its interesting to me to find such different behavior between two species of the same genus, but I bet its not all that uncommon I just haven't caught many different species in the same genus except for Camponotus and they've all been pretty much the same so far.

The first species is very likely brevicornis, as nearcticus is noticeable smaller and lighter. A great resource for you to compare your queens too is my journal, which features 5 species of Lasius from the United States, found here. Slowly is the key, so yes, if you want to put them into diapause, follow the path you are already doing. If you wish to keep them up their first year because they are not slowing down, you can do that too. I have kept Lasius colonies up because some, like my brevicornis, will keep laying eggs and raising brood, though really slowly, during the cold. One of my colonies even got workers during diapause, which is crazy. I also keep some more touchy colonies out of diapause as it increases their chance of living for the first year. My only recommendation would be to make this year an exception if you do keep them up and diapause them for the rest of their life. 

[Izzy]

That is wild to get a worker during diapause. I think I will not put them into diapause this year, and then do it next year. That's what Mack from Tarheel Ants suggests for Pogonomyrmex as well and my colony did great. I have seven of them so I suppose I could try not hibernating two or three and see what happens.

 

Thanks for your response. I'll definitely be checking out that journal. I've only got one Lasius species from last year I found that was identified as flavus, but I still wonder if that's correct as it appears that they are a European species. Maybe I'll find some answers in your thread.

[Ants_Dakota]

That is wild to get a worker during diapause. I think I will not put them into diapause this year, and then do it next year. That's what Mack from Tarheel Ants suggests for Pogonomyrmex as well and my colony did great. I have seven of them so I suppose I could try not hibernating two or three and see what happens.

 

Thanks for your response. I'll definitely be checking out that journal. I've only got one Lasius species from last year I found that was identified as flavus, but I still wonder if that's correct as it appears that they are a European species. Maybe I'll find some answers in your thread.

Correct, L. flavus is European, L. brevicornis is the American version. They changed it over a decade ago so there are still many manuscripts referring to them as L. flavus