11 replies to this topic

[Antsinmycloset]

The queens were collected in Topeka Kansas, on July 2nd, at a botanical garden near a lake. Not really wooded, but there are plenty of trees. Really a bit of everything that's not "arid" nearby.

 

Several queens were collected, but I suspect all to be the same species. The one pictured is probably the largest, but there is some slight variation and size and coloration. None have noticeably larger gasters, a different headshape, or anything like that.

I'm just going to skip the rest of the description, as I think the photos are pretty decent. I can try to take some better ones if necessary. A closeup of the head would be difficult to provide.

Any chance these AREN'T a parasitic Lasius, like Lasius umbratus?

 

[Nathant2131]

Lasius umbratus for the first queen. The second one is also a Lasius parasite, but the angle is really stumping me as to weather it's umbratus-group or claviger-group.

 

You don't seem interested, but you can keep these if you already didn't know: http://www.formicult...cial-parasites/

[Antsinmycloset]

Oh, I'm plenty interested. Lasius interjectus, or something similar, is something I'd absolutely love to have. The yellow coloration is just so striking.

Unfortunately, reality keeps checking me. I found a Ponera pennsylvanica nest the first time I tried, but have yet to discover any Lasius neoniger. While I successfully introduced a Lasius claviger queen (I think) to mature workers of the same species last fall, they all died over the following six months with no eggs laid. Unless I can find a colony to steal brood from, I doubt I'm going to have any better luck with these ladies and suspect releasing them would be the responsible choice.

[Nathant2131]

Oh, I'm plenty interested. Lasius interjectus, or something similar, is something I'd absolutely love to have. The yellow coloration is just so striking.

If you are referring to the workers, it is pretty much all the same coloring in all claviger-group (Acanthomyops) species. Umbratus-group (Cthonolasius) species' workers are also bright but often a bit darker than claviger-group.

[Batspiderfish]

Claviger-group workers are kinda orange. The queens of Acanthomyops are significantly more difficult to get started than their umbratus-group Chthonolasius cousins (whose workers are yellow), for reasons we are not certain about.

[sgheaton]

TOPEKA KANSAS IS MY BIRTHDAY PLACE!!!!!!!!!

Yay. #proudfornoreason. 

[ultraex2]

Yeah, I wouldn't bother trying to introduce the same species - I've introduced 6+ L. Claviger workers to L. Claviger queens and while they would live together, they never laid eggs.  Granted, 6 times isn't enough to rule it out completely but L. Neoniger or L. Alienus are what you want to go with.  L. Alienus are pretty easy to find if you know where some dead stumps are.

[Canadian anter]

Alienus is by far better than neoniger it seems though

[Antsinmycloset]

Yeah, I wouldn't bother trying to introduce the same species - I've introduced 6+ L. Claviger workers to L. Claviger queens and while they would live together, they never laid eggs.  Granted, 6 times isn't enough to rule it out completely but L. Neoniger or L. Alienus are what you want to go with.  L. Alienus are pretty easy to find if you know where some dead stumps are.

Curious, are we talking about a heavily wooded sort of environment, or like a downed tree in a sunny location?

I'll happily take all the advice you have for finding a good spot.

[Batspiderfish]

Keeping in mind that the number of successful hobbyist, captive-founded Lasius claviger colonies is still zero.

[T.C.]

Keeping in mind that the number of successful hobbyist, captive-founded Lasius claviger colonies is still zero.

Really!? I never knew that. Challenge accepted.

[Batspiderfish]

CanadianAnter was the first to get a queen to the worker stage, but she died shortly after, sadly.