3 replies to this topic

[noebl1]

We've had a very very dry summer here in the North East, and today we got our first good soaking rains this AM here in MA with an inch of rain as a warm front came in (most rain we've had in several weeks).  Around 7:30pm tonight I noticed several Lasius Neoniger colonies around our property with male and female alates coming out by the hundreds.  When L. Alienus were flying a couple weeks ago, I'd see them stacked up in the entrances and such over the course of a few nights before they finally flew.  However while I watched them, none of them would fly, and eventually they'd be dragged back inside around sunset.  Tonight right around sunset I started seeing L. Neoniger taking off, so figured nuptials were starting, unfortunately had to go in so couldn't watch it all.  However went out later tonight, walking around for a good hour and didn't see *any* what so ever (besides a single Lasius Alienus female alate.)  Typically when I see nuptials going on, I see alates attracted to the driveway lights, and fairly easy to pick them off the light, light post, or ground below it.  However even on the light posts didn't see any alates, nothing in spider webs, along 500' of driveway, walk ways, lawn, etc.  Possible a false start?  I noticed even at 10pm tonight, there were still a handful of alates in the entrances, but looked to be going in (and no where near the numbers I saw earlier.) I'm not sure if L. Neoniger typically flies in the AM or PM?, I am having a heck of a time finding details on Google.

 

About 1/4 mile behind my house is an abandoned granite quarry, with literally a couple acres of mainly L. Neoniger, so can't believe I wouldn't find at least one...

 

Here's what a pic of just one of the entrances looked like, however all the ones I saw around our house looked like this:

Edited by noebl1, August 10 2016 - 6:36 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

To the best of my knowledge, Lasius always fly in the early evening. The flight may not have been a full one if conditions were not just right.

 

Keep in mind that Lasius pallitarsis exists -- they have the same coloration as Lasius neoniger but fly earlier. I have a sample of Lasius flavus workers which have just begun to eclose males, so I think the Lasius neoniger flight is coming up soon, at least in Maine.

 

Lasius pallitarsis has one of its seven teeth moved far up its mandibles. It's often covered by the clypeus.

Lasius neoniger has all seven teeth where you would expect them to be, but they are non-uniform in length and look jagged.

Edited by Batspiderfish, August 11 2016 - 11:47 AM.

[noebl1]

To the best of my knowledge, Lasius always fly in the early evening. Keep in mind that Lasius pallitarsis exists -- they have the same coloration as Lasius neoniger but fly earlier. I have a sample of Lasius flavus workers which have just begun to eclose males, so I think the Lasius neoniger flight is coming up soon, at least in Maine.

 

 

Lasius pallitarsis has one of its seven teeth moved far up its mandibles. It's often covered by the clypeus.

Lasius neoniger has all seven teeth where you would expect them to be, but they are non-uniform in length and look jagged.

 

Thanks for the reply, hopefully I didn't miss it then.  Are the Neoniger alates attracted to lights similar to other species?

[noebl1]

I may have been mistaken after all.  One of the colonies from yesterday was having another flight or prep for flight tonight as a ton of alates again.  This time I grabbed one, and I may be wrong, they may not be Neoniger after all. I thought they were browner yesterday, however they are much darker, almost black, closer to a Alienus or Niger.  Maybe I didn't miss Neoniger after all