11 replies to this topic

[Jamiesname]

I found a huge colony of these workers and pupae under a piece of old concrete.

Location: Northeastern michigan (lower penninsula) under a large slab of concrete. The concrete itself was in a field/grassy opening in a forest.

Date caught: 5-22-18.

Length: 5mm

Coloration: Yellow, or maybe slightly orangish.

Other information: These girls had a strong (and strange) smell to them when threatened. I can't say what it smelt like, but it wasn't good nor was it necessarily bad. It was strong though.










I need a verification I'D on the pics below. I think these are Aphaenogaster tennesseensis. Is the bigger one a queen? They were caught about 5 miles away from the workers above, under/inside rotting particle board. What I think is the queen is 5mm, she could possibly be pushing 6mm.










The one I think (and need verified) is in the middle. Better pics of her are in the next post.







Edit: I'll get some better pics in a bit. I thought these were better than what they are.

Edited by Jamiesname, May 22 2018 - 6:37 PM.

[VoidElecent]

Beautiful ID thread. Thank you!

 

Your mystery worker is a Citronella Ant; Lasius claviger, perhaps. The colony you have collected may be  Aphaenogaster tennesseensis.

[Jamiesname]

These are a little better. . .
















I think this is a queen. Look how much larger her gaster and mesosoma are compared with the other ants of the same colony.

Edited by Jamiesname, May 22 2018 - 6:24 PM.

[Jamiesname]

Beautiful ID thread. Thank you!
 
Your mystery worker is a Citronella Ant; Lasius claviger, perhaps. The colony you have collected may be  Aphaenogaster tennesseensis.

Do Clavigar workers get that big? I have a L. Latipes colony and the workers are about 2/3 to 3/4 this size.

[VoidElecent]

 

Beautiful ID thread. Thank you!
 
Your mystery worker is a Citronella Ant; Lasius claviger, perhaps. The colony you have collected may be  Aphaenogaster tennesseensis.

Do Clavigar workers get that big? I have a L. Latipes colony and the workers are about 2/3 to 3/4 this size.

 

Lots of species are slightly polymorphic. There are several fairly large L. claviger colonies in my backyard with sizeable workers; I think it's a matter of maturity.

[Canadian anter]

First might be Lasius interjectus. Second one you are correct.

[Batspiderfish]

Lasius interjectus are the largest Lasius sp. that we have and one of the only species from that genus to have its nuptial flights in late spring/early summer (which might explain that male pupa.)

Your other ants appear to be Aphaenogaster tennesseensis, but none of the photographs show off any diagnostic features. You might want to use better light for macro.

Edited by Batspiderfish, May 23 2018 - 6:00 AM.

[Canadian anter]

Lasius interjectus are the largest Lasius sp. that we have and one of the only species from that genus to have its nuptial flights in late spring/early summer (which would explain that reproductive-caste pupa.)

Your other ants appear to be Aphaenogaster tennesseensis, but none of the photographs show off any diagnostic features. You might want to use better light for macro.

Batspiderfish, I've recently been seeing large brood in colonies of Lasius pallitarsis as well as Lasius interjectus. Any idea if there are perhaps other records for early-flying  Lasius? Additionally,  it could be one of the smaller Acanthomyops with just vell fed workers. The Lasius interjectus I've  seen have reached 7mm

[Batspiderfish]

 

Lasius interjectus are the largest Lasius sp. that we have and one of the only species from that genus to have its nuptial flights in late spring/early summer (which would explain that reproductive-caste pupa.)

Your other ants appear to be Aphaenogaster tennesseensis, but none of the photographs show off any diagnostic features. You might want to use better light for macro.

Batspiderfish, I've recently been seeing large brood in colonies of Lasius pallitarsis as well as Lasius interjectus. Any idea if there are perhaps other records for early-flying  Lasius? Additionally,  it could be one of the smaller Acanthomyops with just vell fed workers. The Lasius interjectus I've  seen have reached 7mm

Curious! Was it a careful ID? Lasius pallitarsis is host to Lasius subumbratus, an outwardly similar-looking species that has flights in early summer and fall. Lasius alienus would probably be a little harder to mistaken, but they might be starting on alates at this time of year as well. Otherwise, it could just be a charactaristic of eastward L. pallitarsis.

Edited by Batspiderfish, May 23 2018 - 6:17 AM.

[Canadian anter]

I ID'ed them last year and were pretty sure they were Lasius pallitarsis, I haven't ever seen them this early. The alienus in my yard only start producing in July. Another user, the one with the Lasius umbratus journal found similar larvae in an unidentified Lasius nest

[Jamiesname]

Few more pics since I had originally intended to post them today anyways. I guess for no other reason then to beat a dead horse. Positive side is that after all this I decided to get a macro lense lol. It'll be here Saturday.

Edited by Jamiesname, May 23 2018 - 4:59 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Yup! A. tennesseensis.