14 replies to this topic

[skocko76]

1. Location of collection: Pine tree forested recreational zone in immediate vicinity of sea

2. Date of collection: 12th September 2017.
3. Habitat of collection: Pine forest on sea coast
4. Length : cca 10mm
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Brown with yellowish legs and antennae.
6. Distinguishing characteristics : too advanced for me still
7. Anything else distinctive: not to my eye.
8. Nest description : n/a.
9 . Post the clearest pictures possible: the test tube is plastic and not very clear. sorry.

 

The poor girl is obviously wounded. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

Is it lasius?

 

 

[T.C.]

Looks like Lasius neoniger to me. And that wound will more than likely be fatal. The gaster is a pretty important part.

[VoidElecent]

I don't think L. neoniger is existent in Croatia; the "neo" part of "neoniger" refers to its prominence in the "new" world (Western hemisphere; the Americas), which Croatia is not a member of.

 

It is Lasius for sure, either in the niger or, possibly, flavus group. 

 

The wound does look pretty bad; but I've seen queens survive some pretty severe gastric trauma.

[skocko76]

Thanks all.

Is there any way to distinguish L. niger and L. flavus before first workers enclose and worker color is seen?

Also, will she lay eggs now, or wait for after hibernation? If she survives, that is.

[VoidElecent]

Thanks all.

Is there any way to distinguish L. niger and L. flavus before first workers enclose and worker color is seen?

Also, will she lay eggs now, or wait for after hibernation? If she survives, that is.

 

I know all of my late summer L. neoniger hibernate before laying; I suspect it's the same in Europe.

 

There are ways to distinguish niger group queens from flavus group, but from my understanding you would need intense magnification. You can make a guess going off the coloration; yellow Lasius tend to have slightly bicolored queens, with darker mesosomas then the rest of their bodies, whereas niger group queens tend to be slightly darker overall.

Edited by VoidElecent, September 13 2017 - 2:46 PM.

[GeorgeK]

Hey Skocko, if you found her now, it is more likely that it is L. Flavus than L. Niger.  simply because l. flavuses have their nuptial flights later, and i also hope she survives that injury

[lucas3431]

10mm, that's a big girl.

[skocko76]

She's still alive despite the wounded gaster

[Nathant2131]

Looks like Lasius neoniger to me. And that wound will more than likely be fatal. The gaster is a pretty important part.

A few of my Lasius queens have gaster injuries exactly like that and they seem perfectly healthy, all of them have workers.

[skocko76]

A few of my Lasius queens have gaster injuries exactly like that and they seem perfectly healthy, all of them have workers.

 

 

 

Good to hear

[skocko76]

I took this girl out of hibernation, and she's still alive! 

Hopefully she will lay eggs soon, so we'll find out whether she is a L. niger or L. flavus.

 

[CoolColJ]

chunky looking

[Jonathan21700]

Probably neither of those species. 

[skocko76]

Probably neither of those species.

Which species is it, do you recon?
Check the photos at the top of the topic, it's the same queen.

[Jonathan21700]

I have no idea, I guess it's the same species that flies here in September-November. I am also wondering...