3 replies to this topic

[Moonxmists]

1. Located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
2. Date observed May 23rd 2018
3. Habitat was disturbed as I was digging with a hand trowel in my flower bed in the backyard along a wooden fence.
4. Length I would estimate to be about 13mm
5. Head and thorax were a dark brown, abdomen was yellowish, almost translucent as were the legs.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: leg and abdomen colouring
7. Distinguishing behavior: none
8. Nest description: none observed, only saw the one large ant my which I assumed was a queen.
9. Nuptial flight time and date:

Links to photos are below as I can't seem to directly upload them to the site.
https://ibb.co/hJhPBT
https://ibb.co/gjGvJ8

Edited by Moonxmists, May 23 2018 - 7:55 PM.

[Canadian anter]

I would guess Lasius crypticus. Check your measurements. There is no way she is that large.

[Moonxmists]

Yes, I apologize, length was closer to 13mm give or take a mm. I looked up Lasius crypticus and unless their colouring varies greatly she wasn’t that. Did you look at the pictures linked? Her abdomen was a bright whiteish yellow and somewhat translucent. You could pick her out from quite a ways away, she definitely stood out!

[Canadian anter]

Colouring isn't a very good way to ID ants. She's just fat. We know she is a niger-group Lasius, and I'm still sticking by crypticus