Lasuis niger aka common black ant. Workers are bigger

[Antscanada73]

I have been monitoring a wild lasuis niger colony and recently I have noticed some of the colonys workers are bigger than others anyone know why?

[Ants4fun]

All ants have little variations in size, this is usually due to how much, and what they are fed. Generally speaking, the smaller ones usually tend to the eggs, larvae, and queen. The larger ones, usually forage for food. Although sometimes as the smaller ants get older, they will forage as well.

[Antscanada73]

OK. But I saw some bits that hanged off some of the large ants abdomens and I think they have more big workers because the queens winged princes and princesses have left the nest.

[Antscanada73]

I think I have sent you an email of the colony check man.

[Gregory2455]

Is it a young colony? It may be the transition in worker size from nanitic to normal sized workers.

[Antscanada73]

No at a guess because I've collected both the small and big ants and the small ants aren't how Mikey says nanictics are.

[Ants4fun]

I think I have sent you an email of the colony check man.

Who are you talking to?

[Antscanada73]

I think I have sent you an email of the colony check man.

Who are you talking to?

You ants4fun

[Ants4fun]

I'm sorry but I didn't receive any email. And yes, I do see what you say. I actually just got back from a trip to estonia, and was curious what these large lasius where, when I got a queen specimen, and discovered that they were Lasius niger. Very large for lasius sp. And slightly polymorphic. The worker size is indeed noticeable. It is very fasinaying. Unfortunately those ants are not very common here.

[Antscanada73]

I'm sorry but I didn't receive any email. And yes, I do see what you say. I actually just got back from a trip to estonia, and was curious what these large lasius where, when I got a queen specimen, and discovered that they were Lasius niger. Very large for lasius sp. And slightly polymorphic. The worker size is indeed noticeable. It is very fasinaying. Unfortunately those ants are not very common here.

Something weird has happened slowly I've noticed that I can't seem to find any of the larger workers.