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Lasius umbratus/nearcticus journal

parasitic queen lasius umbratus nearcticus

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5 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted August 29 2017 - 2:39 PM

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I decided to make a new journal for one of my newest colonies. Here it is!

 

About two weeks ago I found a confused Lasius umbratus queen sprinting across a tennis court amongst hundreds of dead males of the same species. She had a Tetramorium nanitic attached to her antennae. After removing the little worker, the queen calmed down very fast. I put her in a tube after tennis practice with a drop of honey, which she happily devoured. She stayed in that tube for four days, patiently waiting for her first host workers. After flipping hundreds of rocks and logs, I gave up on searching for the correct host species. I gently removed her from the little burrow she excavated in the cotton and placed her in a Lasius nearcticus tube with seven brood boosted callow workers and an artificially inseminated queen. After a few minutes, I realized that I had completely forgot to remove the AI queen! Surprisingly, rather than seeing corpses in the little tube, I found the Lasius umbratus queen snuggled up under the Lasius nearcticus queen (I've observed this behavior with L. murphyi, which tends to be one of the more docile species) . Both queens lived together for a day, until I removed the nearcticus queen. The L. umbratus queen, which laid one egg yesterday, is being constantly tended by her seven workers. 

I will (try to) update this journal as much as possible!

Also, do you think that I should find more Lasius callows/pupae to put in the tube?


  • lucas3431 likes this
Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#2 Offline AntsMaryland - Posted August 29 2017 - 2:49 PM

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If she is laying eggs than you are fine. That is really neat. I want to catch that species and try it out for myself. Please keep us updated. Have fun and good luck! Best Regards!

 

-AntsMaryland


Aphaenogaster cf. rudis 

Tetramorium immigrans 

Tapinoma sessile

Formica subsericea

Pheidole sp.

Camponotus nearcticus


#3 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted August 30 2017 - 2:28 PM

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I moved the colony into my ant terrarium (2.5 gal, with 1 cricket, some myrmecophile springtails, several pillbugs, a spotted wintergreen plant, a pine tree seedling, a wood sorrel plant, and a Camponotus chromaiodes colony). So far, they've had no trouble with their Carpenter ant neighbors. The lasius colony sealed themselves underground, though. Should I go out and find some root mealybugs for them?


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#4 Offline ctantkeeper - Posted August 30 2017 - 3:46 PM

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This is awesome!!! I'm wondering what might have happened if you left the AI queen in the test tube though...



#5 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted August 30 2017 - 9:32 PM

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Lasius umbratus would have killed the queen eventually.


If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

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Black lives still matter.


#6 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted August 31 2017 - 2:55 AM

Connectimyrmex

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This is awesome!!! I'm wondering what might have happened if you left the AI queen in the test tube though

 

Lasius umbratus would have killed the queen eventually.

 

Yeah, it probably would have. It was just nice to see some friendly interaction, though.


  • ctantkeeper likes this
Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: parasitic queen, lasius, umbratus, nearcticus

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