3 replies to this topic

[cfreidsma]

1. Location of collection: Zeeland Michigan in a mobile home park. Found under a flower pot by my shed. No mates, workers, or others were found by this ant, and it was wondering around.

2. Date of collection: May 30 2017
3. Habitat of collection: Somewhat urban area underneath a flower pot. 
4. Length (from head to gaster): 7mm assuming I measured correctly. Smaller than the black carpenter ants and larger than the Tetramorium pavement ants.
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Red moving to darker shades.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: 
7. Distinguishing behavior: Very calm compared to other ants, especially workers. It does not cling to things very well, and tends to fall off of vertical or upside down surfaces. 
8. Nest description: None

 

My yard and pavement is almost exclusively the red pavement ants (Tetramorium) that are common in this area. There are also the common black carpenter ants on and around the house itself. 

 

I can get more pictures if needed. 

 

[VoidElecent]

Thank you so much for a properly formatted, well written, and readable identification thread! I think this is a Lasius umbratus group social parasite. They tend to fly in late summer and overwinter under rocks or logs until it's warm enough for them to seek out a young Lasius niger group colony to infiltrate, that's why people have been starting to find them more frequently.

 

They are apparently one of the easier Lasius parasites to keep in captivity; you can read more about their founding process here. In the future, I'd recommend some closer shots of the ant, but these were sufficient nonetheless.

 

Good luck with your queen!

Edited by VoidElecent, May 30 2017 - 4:59 PM.

[cfreidsma]

Thanks! That, and the article, helped quite a bit. Someone on a Facebook group also thought it was a Lasius queen. I think I know where to get some young ants to introduce her to. Saw some under a different pot I was looking under. 

 

Guess there's no better way to start this hobby

[Martialis]

Are you sure? This looks like a worker to me.

 

This is  L. umbratus.

Edited by Martialis, May 30 2017 - 7:10 PM.