6 replies to this topic

[fANTastic]

Today Lasius ... (I can't identify them) are crawling all over the sidewalks! Go catch some if you live in Vancouver BC Canada! I am just wondering what I should do with the bunch I caught and if I should go get more. Are they polygynous? Will they fight. I am keeping them together right now and they are not fightin and all trying to escape. YAY!

[Russell]

I found a bunch last night in Victoria and put them one to a test tube setup. Ended up with 13 queens. They did not flight when collected but did separate ASAP.

Edited by Russell, August 5 2017 - 5:45 PM.

[LC3]

There's a possibility the smaller gynotype of Lasius alienus could be polygynous but I have no confirmation on this. 

[T.C.]

We get the flights right after Canadians do in wisconsin. So I watch Canadian nuptial flight alerts closely.

[fANTastic]

They are not fighting but are very friendly with each other

even doing the mouth to mouth thing

I'm keeping them in a glass jar with napkin of top and vaseline on sloped sides(sloped inwards). I put a test tube with water and cotton and some honey. 

I hope they are polygynous! That would be epic with 8 queens reproducing.

[Nathant2131]

This early in the year, this is probably L. alienus.

[Canadian anter]

Not surprised. Lasius alienus is the dominant ant in the Vancouver area. You will find 2 types. The big 9mm ones that look like normal Lasius and those really small ones which kinda look like umbratus and are a lot smaller. The smaller ones seem to be polygyne and the bigger ones seem to be pleometrophic or monogyne