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AnthonyP163's Lasius sp. (Updated 6/19/19)

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#1 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted April 12 2017 - 8:18 AM

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In August, I caught a few  Lasius alienus  queens in my back yard. 

 

About a week ago, my queen got her workers. She now has about 10 of them. She even still has some pupae, larvae, and eggs. The colony is truly going well. The other queens that I got didn't make it since they ran out of water.  :(

 

Anyway, here are a few pictures of the surviving colony. I moved them into a mew tube, so they're alright now.

 

 

 

 

I'll update as it grows.

 

 

 


Edited by AnthonyP163, June 19 2019 - 7:25 PM.

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#2 Offline T.C. - Posted April 12 2017 - 8:32 AM

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Nice, and great pictures! How can you tell they aren't lasius neoniger?

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#3 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted April 12 2017 - 10:28 AM

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Nice, and great pictures! How can you tell they aren't lasius neoniger

Lasius alienus are much more common than Lasius neoniger  and these ants are too dark for  Lasius neoniger.


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#4 Offline noebl1 - Posted April 12 2017 - 11:06 AM

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I think time of year helps too. I caught my L. alienus at night in July here in MA attracted to lights.   The L. neoniger here flew much later in Sept/Oct, and were not seen at night.


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#5 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted April 12 2017 - 11:21 AM

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I think time of year helps too. I caught my L. alienus at night in July here in MA attracted to lights.   The L. neoniger here flew much later in Sept/Oct, and were not seen at night.

I caught her beginning of August at about 6:00.


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#6 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted January 22 2018 - 1:53 PM

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1/22/2018

 

It's been a while since I have been to this journal, and the colony from before was wiped out by a fungus in a matter of days. It must've had something to do with the substrate, which possibly could've helped it spread quickly. 

 

However, I have recently taken a few queens out of hibernation from last year. I put them into hibernation in October and took them out at the beginning of January. Some have larvae, others have only eggs. I am expecting workers for these queens soon. In all, there are 6 queens.

 

Here are some pictures.

 

 

This queens gaster is really big, I bet she'll lay soon.

 

gallery_1225_763_244686.jpg

This queen has some larvae and eggs.

 

gallery_1225_763_882554.jpg

This queen has a small batch of eggs.

 

I'll update this when they get workers.


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#7 Offline Mettcollsuss - Posted January 22 2018 - 2:33 PM

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I had a Lasius alienus queen a few months back, but she died right before the first workers eclosed. I'm hoping to start again next year. This journal will definitely be useful for me.



#8 Offline T.C. - Posted February 1 2018 - 10:34 PM

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I just really wonder if this isn't Lasius neoniger?


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#9 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted February 7 2018 - 1:28 PM

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I just really wonder if this isn't Lasius neoniger?

 Maybe it could be, but I saw colonies of  Lasius alienus flying on that night. Maybe I'm wrong, if I am then someone please call me out on this. Batspiderfish? I know I'll probably need much better pictures.



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#10 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted March 27 2018 - 7:18 PM

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3/27/18

 

After emailing James Trager, and opening an ID thread, I have concluded I have another colony of Lasius alienus. This is the same colony I took brood from in order to start my Parasitic Lasius Journal.

 

The unusual thing about this colony is that they are extraordinarily small, and it has been suggested that it is a different genotype. I managed to catch them opening a pupa, you can see the workers gently tear away at the cocoon. here's the video with piano music in the background  :D

The whole process took an hour.


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#11 Offline AntsMaryland - Posted March 27 2018 - 7:51 PM

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LUCKY!!! I have what I think is Lasius alienus. The queen was caught last August. They have about 7 workers and some really large larvae. I can't wait for them to turn into pupae!

 

TAKING TOO LONG!!! :P

 

Keep us updated!!!

 

-AntsMaryland


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Aphaenogaster cf. rudis 

Tetramorium immigrans 

Tapinoma sessile

Formica subsericea

Pheidole sp.

Camponotus nearcticus


#12 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted May 19 2018 - 10:07 AM

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I found what appears to be a Lasius sp. queen under a stone with a few larvae and eggs. I captured her and all of her brood.

 

The small Lasius colony is doing well, with about 15 workers and a good amount of larvae.


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#13 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted June 10 2018 - 11:45 AM

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I have 3 Lasius colonies at the moment, one is a Lasius alienus  queen with just a few pupae, another is a  Lasius neoniger  queen with just one worker and a few larvae, possibly some eggs. Then there's the large colony of Lasius alienus, at about 20 workers with more coming soon. I plan to move them as they are in a very moldy test tube. 

 

Here's the largest colonies brood

In this picture you can see the queen and part of a cricket they had last night. The mold on the cotton makes it very hard to see them.

 

Here's the queen with one worker and some brood

 

Here's the queen with just a few pupae


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#14 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted August 10 2018 - 3:34 PM

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8-10-18

 

The Lasius americanus that had about 20 workers got over 40, and is now in a dirt setup at my Terrariums and Plants Journal.

 

The L. americanus that almost had workers was sold to another Wisconsin antkeeper. 

 

The L. neoniger colony lost both of their workers without the queen laying eggs, the queen soon died after. 


Edited by AnthonyP163, August 10 2018 - 3:35 PM.


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#15 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted August 30 2018 - 5:31 PM

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8-30-18

 

A few days back, I caught about two dozen Lasius brevicornis queens, a few Lasius americanus and Lasius neoniger, and a Lasius latipes queen.

 

Some of the Lasius brevicornis queens were put into a dirt setup, a few in a test tube with dirt, and a few in test tubes. All of them are in groups of 2-5 queens. I don't expect eggs from these queens until after hibernation. 

 

The Lasius americanus and Lasius neoniger queens were put in their own test tubes. I don't expect eggs from them for a while, either.

 

The  Lasius latipes queen was rescued from a  Formica montana colony. She died mysteriously a day after being caught, possibly from injuries. She had two Lasius neoniger host workers.

 

I'll be updating this when I catch more queens (which is going to happen in September). 

 

Here are some Lasius brevicornis queens with varying colors


Edited by AnthonyP163, August 30 2018 - 5:39 PM.


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#16 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted September 29 2018 - 7:37 PM

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9-29-18

 

In early September, there was flight of Lasius in southeastern Wisconsin. 

 

I found Lasius neoniger, Lasius brevicornisLasius crypticus, and Lasius americanus. 

 

Here's some pictures of the Lasius crypticus, they're very pretty. 

 


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#17 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted June 19 2019 - 7:25 PM

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6/19/19

 

The queens from the latest update were either sold or died, except for 6 of the Lasius brevicornis queens, who got workers. I have a 4-queen colony of them today. The Lasius crypticus queen never laid any eggs and died after a few weeks out of hibernation. 

 

I also caught a Lasius americanus queen who now has pupae. 



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