5 replies to this topic

[cfreidsma]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Zeeland, MI
2. Date of collection: September 12 around 6:30-7:30PM
3. Habitat of collection: Somewhat urban area, a trailer park. Found one on the edge of the pavement, a few under a tarp, two under a flower pot, some randomly scattered in the grass, and stopped looking after I got a few.
4. Length (from head to gaster): Around 9mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Stripes and lighter colored. This especially shows up outdoors in the light.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Only one has the wings left on
7. Distinguishing behavior: Standard queen behavior
8. Nest description: None

 

I am guessing these are Lasius. Hopefully some non-parasitic species. 

 

The first one I caught shortly curled up and started twitching. I am assuming that it got into insecticides or something before it got to my yard. These ones are alright for the time. 

 

When I got home from class today I saw one of the pavement ant colonies flying. They either had very tiny queens, or only males left at the nest though. The only winged individuals left were the size of the workers. After some time I spotted one of these queens running around, and then decided to see if I could find more. It was rather easy to find a bunch. 

 

 

 

[VoidElecent]

Lasius sp. Likely L. neoniger.

[Batspiderfish]

Haha, the flying pavement ant colony sounds like it could have been the very elusive Tetramorium atratulum, formerly known as Anergates. These inquiline social parasite have wingless, pupoid males and host-worker-sized females that look a lot like males from other species.

 

The rest of your queens are Lasius. The lowermost one looks to be from the flavus group.

Edited by Batspiderfish, September 12 2017 - 6:18 PM.

[T.C.]

Haha, the flying pavement ant colony sounds like it could have been the very elusive Tetramorium atratulum, formerly known as Anergates. These inquiline social parasite have wingless, pupoid males and host-worker-sized females that look a lot like males from other species.
 
The rest of your queens are Lasius. The lowermost one looks to be from the flavus group.

Yeah, I noticed that. ThE bottom one certainly isn't the same species as the rest, which appear to be Lasius neoniger.

[cfreidsma]

Haha, the flying pavement ant colony sounds like it could have been the very elusive Tetramorium atratulum, formerly known as Anergates. These inquiline social parasite have wingless, pupoid males and host-worker-sized females that look a lot like males from other species.

I didn't keep any of them I didn't have any luck with the last parasite I tried anyways. 

 

I'll just post some new pictures that I just took of all of them. This way all of the queens are represented. Here are all of the queens in random order:

#1

 

#2

 

#3

 

#4

 

$5 - Glass tube

 

Most of the pictures in the previous post are of #5. It is the only one with wings and in a glass test tube. 

[Batspiderfish]

I'm pretty sure number 2 is Lasius nearcticus or Lasius flavus, but very detailed photographs are required to identify claustral Lasius down to the species. The darker Lasius could be L. neoniger or L. pallitarsis.