I need help identiyfing a queen

[AdamKnapp]

So it was a hot and humid day in Va so me and my friends decided to go swimming at the beach. We left a little before eight and near the exit to the beach, there was a small group of ants. On the outside of the circle, was an alate. I picked her up and took her home. While I was walking back to my house, she decided to rip off her wings. I put her in a test tube set up and I think she has already laid to eggs. My questions are, what type is she and did i accidentally take a colony's queen? Here she is [http://imgur.com/a/GT0K9][http://imgur.com/a/wA9e5] I think the eggs are on the second pic close to the top of the queen's abdomen. Thanks a lot !

[idahoantgirl]

So it was a hot and humid day in Va so me and my friends decided to go swimming at the beach. We left a little before eight and near the exit to the beach, there was a small group of ants. On the outside of the circle, was an alate. I picked her up and took her home. While I was walking back to my house, she decided to rip off her wings. I put her in a test tube set up and I think she has already laid to eggs. My questions are, what type is she and did i accidentally take a colony's queen? Here she is [http://imgur.com/a/GT0K9][http://imgur.com/a/wA9e5] I think the eggs are on the second pic close to the top of the queen's abdomen. Thanks a lot !

definetly looks like lasius to me. If she had wings and then ripped them off, then that probably means she wasn't that small colony's queen. Did the group of ants have brood with it? If so then it is likely that they were moving. If they weren't moving then they would not ever take the queen out of her nest. It is possible that she had nothing to do with the group of ants, and was simply an alate that mated (hopefully) and landed near that group of ants. Were the ants touching her at all? or completely ignoring her? If they were touching her with their antennas, that means she is part of the group. if she wasn't part of the group, they would instantly rip her to pieces, if they knew she was there. So, if she is an alate that simple landed nearby, then I would say Lasius Neoniger, based on the time of year.
Hope I helped at all!

[AdamKnapp]

The queen ant was completely ignored by the colony and they didn't have any brood. Thanks soooo much!!!