27 replies to this topic

[Batspiderfish]

Lasius umbratus is flying this morning (?) in Portland, ME. I also found an interesting large Lasius parasite that was covered in dust. I need to wait for her to clean herself off for an ID. Formica sp. was flaying as well. I found a Myrmica sp. dealate, although I'm willing to bet she flew earlier.

[Canadian anter]

Lasius hasn't flown here yet

[Batspiderfish]

Big Lasius flight in Portland, Maine. Lasius latipes, Lasius neoniger, Lasius cf. nearcticus and Lasius cf. minutus were spotted. I was at work the whole time, and will have to look around in the morning. :c

[Batspiderfish]

Lasius are sending out alates again, today in Portland. We just had an inch of rain last night, and the ground is still pretty wet, which is unusual. They definitely seem to be less picky at this time of year.

 

I caught a few Lasius latipes queens, and one seems to be successfully adopted to some Lasius nearcticus, but who knows how long she will survive. There were about 20 workers begin with, but half of them are dead now. So bloody. Their infiltration methods are very different from Chthonolasius, which only usually kill one or two workers or else get killed themselves. None of the host workers seemed to be able to grab onto Lasius latipes. The queens didn't want anything to do with Lasius alienus.

 

The next few days are supposed to hit around 80 degrees, so there are probably going to be lots of alates. It might rain later today, but I'm going to go out anyways and see if the ants are better meteorologists than the humans. I'll also only have to work four hours during those warm days.

 

Also, I forgot to mention that the mystery queen from earlier was Lasius speculiventris.

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 19 2016 - 12:06 PM.

[dermy]

 

Batspiderfish The next few days are supposed to hit around 80 degrees

We will be lucky if we get a few 70F days before winter hits, I'm expecting the white stuff [snow] in the next few weeks, a month tops. [maybe the end of October, but that's pushing it]

[Canadian anter]

Claviger group lasius haven't flown yet here! I caught an umbratus 2 weeks back but It killed 50 host workers before I gave up and released it. The niger and flavus group still have a few alates left in the nests

[Batspiderfish]

Claviger group lasius haven't flown yet here! I caught an umbratus 2 weeks back but It killed 50 host workers before I gave up and released it. The niger and flavus group still have a few alates left in the nests

 

That isn't at all what I usually see Lasius umbratus do. The ones in my area will run away with one or two hanging off her antennae, usually kill them, then she will re-enter the colony a day or two later. Otherwise, she will let the workers swarm her and look to act really submissive, and the host will either kill her or she will gradually become accepted. Social parasites are mysterious.

[Canadian anter]

Claviger group lasius haven't flown yet here! I caught an umbratus 2 weeks back but It killed 50 host workers before I gave up and released it. The niger and flavus group still have a few alates left in the nests

 
That isn't at all what I usually see Lasius umbratus do. The ones in my area will run away with one or two hanging off her antennae, usually kill them, then she will re-enter the colony a day or two later. Otherwise, she will let the workers swarm her and look to act really submissive, and the host will either kill her or she will gradually become accepted. Social parasites are mysterious.

She started getting swarmed but picked of the workers one by one even though they were submissive