6 replies to this topic

[mperor]

Hello everyone,

 

My adventure with ant keeping began by accident 2 years ago, when a Carpenter Queen strolled into my bedroom floor. I managed to keep her for some 6 months, she even laid eggs, but they never hatched. After she unexpectedly died, I was determined to follow this hobby more seriously, and here I am.  Last year was a bad starter year as I caught no queen. But this year is better! As I'm still learning about this hobby, my ID skills are not quite up to par, so I figured I'd enlist your help to identify what I may have on my hands this time. So thanks in advance!

 

Location: Southern Quebec / Canada

 

Date: July 26-29 2016 (temperature 27-30 C) 2-4PM

 

Habitat: Sidewalk in a quiet residential area (between lawn and driveway) - they were caught over 3 days in more or less the same spot.

 

Size: 10mm

 

 

ANT 1: With my attempted google ID, I suspected it might be a Lasius Niger or Lasius Alienus, but I'm not sure. 

 

 

 

ANT 2: I suspected it might be a Lasius Neoniger, until I spotted the spikey node between the thorax and abdomen, then got confused. I was under the impression that only Carpenter queens had the prominent node... But my knowledge is quite limited still. 

 

 

 

ANT 3: She looks to have the same color scheme as ANT 2, and was caught a day after ANT 2.

 

 

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

[dermy]

The First Queen looks to be of the Formica species probably in the fusca group.

 

 

The second one, I'm not too sure I know it isn't a Carpenter ant, but I'm not sure.

 

 

Ant 3 looks like some form of Lasius species.

 

 

Hopefully someone with better ID skills than mine can help you nail it down better.

[Saftron]

Very nice finds, and I agree with dermy. I'm also not that good at finding the species but can find the genera
*Genus, sorry my phone auto corrected don't know why

[Mdrogun]

Ant 1: I believe it's Formica fusca

 

Ant 2 & 3: Both appear to be Lasius sp. possibly Lasius niger or Lasius neoniger depending on the location.

[mperor]

Thanks for all the timely help guys, it's much appreciated.

 

Your IDs all make sense. I hadn't thought about Formica Fusca before. Ant 1 does seem to behave very differently than the other two, and is fully black in color, compared to the browner hue of the others' legs, so it would make sense they're from different species.

 

Lasius is also what I suspected for 2 and 3, but I'm not sure I fully know the difference between a Lasius Niger and a Lasius Neoniger. My understanding was the Lasius Neoniger is more brown in color and prevalent in North America, and the Lasius Niger is more black in color and more prevalent in Europe. Based on the color criterion, I'd assume 2 and 3 to be Lasius Niger, as only their legs seem to have a brown hue - they're body is very dark brown, if not black... But Canada is definitely not Europe, so the geography criterion cancels out the color one at face value.

 

If anyone else has any other ideas, please don't be a stranger.

 

They're all housed in their tubes now, so just gonna leave them be... and see what comes out of this. 

 

Once again, thanks a lot for the help.

[AntsMAN]

The first looks like Formica subsericea.

The second in the top left corner picture looks like Lasius umbratus, but the middle picture looks like the head is a lot smaller.

The third looks like Lasius neoniger.

Lasius niger are native to Europe, and only in north America as a invasive species.

Edited by AntsMAN, July 31 2016 - 3:23 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Queen one looks to be either Formica podzolica or Formica glacialis. Can you get more pictures of her head from the front, and try to show off the hair coverage of her gaster?

 

Queens two and three are likely Lasius alienus, a common woodland July flier. Lasius neoniger flies in August (its near look-alike, Lasius pallitarsis, flies in July).

 

That petiolar node is one of the main differentiations between ants and wasps. All ants have at least one of these. The subfamily Formicinae, which Formica, Lasius, and Camponotus belong to, are amongst those which have one node.