4 replies to this topic

[Antsinmycloset]

Edit: Typo in title. It should be 6/23/18, for anyone keeping score at home.

I don't know why I forgot to post this, but anyway.

Found in an unmanaged prairie bordering a wooded creek. Actually plucked her out of a small pool of water with a male who was still attempting to mate/climb all over her. I left the two in a tube together overnight, and the male ended up passing away on... maybe Thursday? She's about 6 or 7 mm long, and a deep brownish coloration with the legs, petiole, and mandibles having being a more more reddish. The photos may not be doing justice to how dark her back is, but it's still a far cry from black. And yes, petiole singular. I only see one node, which has a conspicuous "spike" sticking up.

It had rained a couple days prior, but the morning was more muggy than wet. There could have been light sprinkles in the night.

Edited by Antsinmycloset, July 1 2018 - 4:32 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Could be Lasius umbratus, but underside-shots aren't very useful for identification.

[Antsinmycloset]

I guess there's not much point keeping her wings... If she's not fertile now, I don't think releasing her is going to change that.

There's still some wing stubs left, as they didn't seem to want to just pop off, but it's the best I feel comfortable risking. This help any, or still hard to have much confidence?.

[Batspiderfish]

I'm sticking with L. umbratus. That gaster looks odd, though -- maybe it is damaged.

[Mettcollsuss]

Yeah, that's an unusually small gaster, even for a parasite.