20 replies to this topic

[AntKeeperNoob]

Hi everyone,

 

I caught three different species of ant queens around August, 2017. I just brought them out of hibernation and took some photos (sorry for the poor quality). Below are their description and pictures.

 

Queen #1 - Lasius sp. ?

1. Location of collection: Toronto, Canada
2. Date of collection: Late August, 2017
3. Habitat of collection: Sidewalk about 400 meter East of a large park (High Park in Toronto)
4. Length (from head to gaster): ~7mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown /  black

6. Distinguishing characteristics: Gaster much larger after hibernation

 

Queen #2 - Tetrmorium sp. ?

1. Location of collection: Toronto, Canada

2. Date of collection: Late August, 2017

3. Habitat of collection: Sidewalk 

4. Length (from head to gaster): ~9mm

5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark black, but a little iridescent

 

 

Queen #3 - some fire ant?

1. Location of collection: Toronto, Canada

2. Date of collection: Late August, 2017

3. Habitat of collection: Sidewalk 

4. Length (from head to gaster): ~6mm

5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown, slightly reddish

6. Distinguishing characteristics: large mandibles; I fed it a few fruit flies because it doesn;t look fully-claustral and it ate them.

The photo angle is bad, but it definitely has a petiole AND postpetiole.

 

Thanks for all your help!

 

 

 

[FeedTheAnts]

#1 is definitely lasius

#2 is definitely Crematogater

#3 is Tetramorium, maybe...?

[LC3]

I'm fairly confident queen #3 is an Aphaenogaster sp.

[T.C.]

Tennessee ants got 1&2 right, LC3 got #3 right.

[noebl1]

I'm fairly confident queen #3 is an Aphaenogaster sp.

 

I agree; first Aphaenogaster queens I caught I initially thought were Tetramorium as well until I realized too late in the year and looked different once examined up close.  Based on the size, maybe something like Aphaenogaster picea?  

[AntKeeperNoob]

Thanks for the quick replies!

I was just wondering. What kind of characteristics are you all focusing on when identifying these queens? I know this might be quite a complicated question, but I would just like to know what look at in the future when identifying queens.

[LC3]

Petiole, whether there's one node or two, or one and a large segment fused with the gaster. That will at the very least let you know what subfamily the ant is in.

 

On top of that all three of these genres though are pretty iconic.

[Canadian anter]

Hey where'd you find Aphaenogaster in Toronto? BTW it's probably IAphaenogaster picea. Number 1 is Lasius pallitarsis or  Lasius neoniger. Number 2 is Crematogaster cerasi or lineolata. Looks like it has pupae already.

[AnthonyP163]

Hey where'd you find Aphaenogaster in Toronto? BTW it's probably IAphaenogaster picea. Number 1 is Lasius pallitarsis or  Lasius neoniger. Number 2 is Crematogaster cerasi or lineolata. Looks like it has pupae already.

What about alienus? 

[LC3]

 

Hey where'd you find Aphaenogaster in Toronto? BTW it's probably IAphaenogaster picea. Number 1 is Lasius pallitarsis or  Lasius neoniger. Number 2 is Crematogaster cerasi or lineolata. Looks like it has pupae already.

What about alienus? 

 

L.alienus mainly fly during early to mid summer, I don't think the queens of this species tend to hibernate before founding colonies often.

[AnthonyP163]

 

 

Hey where'd you find Aphaenogaster in Toronto? BTW it's probably IAphaenogaster picea. Number 1 is Lasius pallitarsis or  Lasius neoniger. Number 2 is Crematogaster cerasi or lineolata. Looks like it has pupae already.

What about alienus? 

 

L.alienus mainly fly during early to mid summer, I don't think the queens of this species tend to hibernate before founding colonies often.

 

Where do you get that information? I hear they fly from summer to fall, and have experienced this too. Although Lasius alienus may have small flights earlier, this is right in the middle of their flight times.

[noebl1]

I've found L. alienus in July and August usually starting to fly just before sunset, and catching them at night attracted to lights; I haven't really seen them fly here much past August.  The L. alienus I have caught the last couple years tend to have their first nanitics before hibernation.  That being said, I've yet to have an L. alienus queen make it thru hibernation, and not sure why as no problems with other Lasius.  Maybe just luck of the draw as only kept a couple that were actually fertile.

[LC3]

Lasius alienus as far as I'm aware has synchronized flights with niger in Europe lasting from July to September (according to Antwiki and various papers about hybridization) but also according to antwiki there isn't enough data to draw comparisons.  In North America I've also heard of people finding queens during the fall but the vast majority seem to take place around mid summer to late summer. This is also reflected quite clearly in the Ant mating chart. I'll admit though I haven't been able to find many sources of the exact flight times of North America L.alienus, just merely mentioned here and there being in June and July. 

 

Personally I've never seen L. alienus fly past July. I can find queens throughout the summer up until they hibernate but all the major flights I've seen always happen around July.

Edited by LC3, March 2 2018 - 3:40 PM.

[AnthonyP163]

Lasius alienus as far as I'm aware has synchronized flights with niger in Europe lasting from July to September (according to Antwiki and various papers about hybridization) but also according to antwiki there isn't enough data to draw comparisons.  In North America I've also heard of people finding queens during the fall but the vast majority seem to take place around mid summer to late summer. This is also reflected quite clearly in the Ant mating chart. I'll admit though I haven't been able to find many sources of the exact flight times of North America L.alienus, just merely mentioned here and there being in June and July. 

 

Personally I've never seen L. alienus fly past July. I can find queens throughout the summer up until they hibernate but all the major flights I've seen always happen around July.

I don't find Lasius alienus in the summer much, I find  alienus mainly from July-August, I think this queen is possibly just that, August is well into it's range.

[Will230145]

The first one is DEFINITELY Lasius Neoniger, they are the only Lasius species (besides Lasius niger which is not in your area) that have a weird, bloated gaster after hibernation, I have a queen who is close to having her first nanitics!

[AntKeeperNoob]

Hey where'd you find Aphaenogaster in Toronto? BTW it's probably IAphaenogaster picea. Number 1 is Lasius pallitarsis or  Lasius neoniger. Number 2 is Crematogaster cerasi or lineolata. Looks like it has pupae already.

I found the Aphaenogaster randomly on the sidewalk at the intersection of Roncesvalles and Neepawa ave during the evening (around 7 pm). There was a bunch of Lasius queens there as well. Hope this helps.

[Canadian anter]

The first one is DEFINITELY Lasius Neoniger, they are the only Lasius species (besides Lasius niger which is not in your area) that have a weird, bloated gaster after hibernation, I have a queen who is close to having her first nanitics!

Actually about all fully claustral Lasius seem to do that.

[AnthonyP163]

 

The first one is DEFINITELY Lasius Neoniger, they are the only Lasius species (besides Lasius niger which is not in your area) that have a weird, bloated gaster after hibernation, I have a queen who is close to having her first nanitics!

Actually about all fully claustral Lasius seem to do that.

 

Yes.

[Jadeninja9]

I caught my Lasius alienus queens on Aug 3rd at 1pm. There were literally dozens upon dozens of queens running around. It was very humid and windy. My queens all laid eggs before the winter months and only now have pupae. 

[Will230145]

The first one is DEFINITELY Lasius Neoniger, they are the only Lasius species (besides Lasius niger which is not in your area) that have a weird, bloated gaster after hibernation, I have a queen who is close to having her first nanitics!

Actually about all fully claustral Lasius seem to do that.

Ok, I never knew that lol