8 replies to this topic

[Volant]

1. Location of collection: Southern New York

2.Date of collection: 6/1/17

3. Habitat of collection: Outside wall of my home:near plants

4.Length (head to Gaster): 8-10mm (rough estimate)

5.Color: Fully black

6. Found alone and wandering

 

I'm pretty sure this is a camponotus pennsylvanicus queen, Just wanted confirmation. Also sorry for the bad pictures.

 

Thanks,

 

 

[Nathant2131]

Looks like a Lasius umbratus queen that flew last year. This is not Camponotus.

Being parasitic, the care for them is very different: http://www.formicult...cial-parasites/

Can you get closer pictures to confirm her ID? She could also be Lasius speculiventris.

Edited by Nathant2131, June 1 2017 - 4:35 PM.

[Volant]

 

Hope this helps, Do you have any tips for parasitic queens? This is my first.

[Nathant2131]

I would wait for a more experienced hobbyist to come along to get a positive ID, but I'm sticking to L. umbratus. The link I showed you has everything you need to know. Lucky thing is that this species is the easiest to care for out of all the Lasius temporary social parasites. Good luck.

[VoidElecent]

Looks like a Lasius umbratus queen that flew last year. This is not Camponotus.

Being parasitic, the care for them is very different: http://www.formicult...cial-parasites/

Can you get closer pictures to confirm her ID? She could also be Lasius speculiventris.

 

She does look rather shiny!

[Nathant2131]

 

Looks like a Lasius umbratus queen that flew last year. This is not Camponotus.

Being parasitic, the care for them is very different: http://www.formicult...cial-parasites/

Can you get closer pictures to confirm her ID? She could also be Lasius speculiventris.

 

She does look rather shiny!

 

She does. But I find that all L. umbratus queens are very shiny, L. speculiventris even more so. 

 

What me and Void are talking about here is the shininess on her gaster. The actual distinguishing characteristic is the lack of appressed pubescence on the second gastral tergite of L. speculiventris, but becuase of how shiny and bald they usually are, it is a fairly reliable characteristic to identify them that way.

[VoidElecent]

 

 

Looks like a Lasius umbratus queen that flew last year. This is not Camponotus.

Being parasitic, the care for them is very different: http://www.formicult...cial-parasites/

Can you get closer pictures to confirm her ID? She could also be Lasius speculiventris.

 

She does look rather shiny!

 

She does. But I find that all L. umbratus queens are very shiny, L. speculiventris even more so. 

 

What me and Void are talking about here is the shininess on her gaster. The actual distinguishing characteristic is the lack of appressed pubescence on the second gastral tergite of L. speculiventris, but becuase of how shiny and bald they usually are, it is a fairly reliable characteristic to identify them that way.

 

 

I remember trying to identify my L. umbratus queen. She, too, had a very shiny gaster and fooled me into thinking she was L. speculiventris.

[Volant]

Based on your experience, what's the best and safest way to introduce the L. Umbratus Queen to L. Niger workers?

[Nathant2131]

Based on your experience, what's the best and safest way to introduce the L. Umbratus Queen to L. Niger workers?

 

Any other non-parasitic Lasius will do, but it has been found that this species does the best with niger-group Lasius species. The three of those in your area are L. neoniger, L.alienus and L. pallitarsis. The distribution of Lasius niger in the USA seems sketchy, so they may not be present in your area.

 

I don't have any personal experience with social parasites.