Lasius

Help with identifying the species your ants

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Will230145
Posts: 133
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:06 am
Location: Grove City PA, US

Lasius

Post: # 31430Post Will230145
Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:47 am

So I have a queen who is black and looks like Lasius but has a spiked node and I sadly can't post pictures, I thought she was Lasius niger but this morning I saw a spike on her node, can Lasius niger have spiked nodes?
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pensilvanicus
Founding: Lasius Neoniger
Lasius Claviger
Formica subsericea

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Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31441Post Batspiderfish
Sat Sep 16, 2017 1:50 pm

Node usually refers to the petiole, but the only ants with spines in North America belong to the Myrmicinae subfamily (Lasius belongs to Formicinae). Based on the time of year, location, and general proportions of Lasius, I am guessing that you have a Crematogaster queen. Just a guess, though, obviously.

Also, while Lasius niger is technically present in North America, the dark queens that hobbyists find are always Lasius alienus, Lasius neoniger, or Lasius pallitarsis.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

Will230145
Posts: 133
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:06 am
Location: Grove City PA, US

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31442Post Will230145
Sat Sep 16, 2017 3:07 pm

She only has one node, and it's lake a shark fin
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pensilvanicus
Founding: Lasius Neoniger
Lasius Claviger
Formica subsericea

User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31453Post Batspiderfish
Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:34 pm

Are you talking about the petiolar scale? Lasius and all members of Formicinae have one of those. All ants have either one or two petiole nodes.

Image
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

Will230145
Posts: 133
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:06 am
Location: Grove City PA, US

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31454Post Will230145
Sat Sep 16, 2017 9:31 pm

Ooooh she has one petiole, she's fully black, she's the size of an average Lasius niger queen. Could she be Lasius niger?
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pensilvanicus
Founding: Lasius Neoniger
Lasius Claviger
Formica subsericea

Will230145
Posts: 133
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:06 am
Location: Grove City PA, US

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31472Post Will230145
Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:14 am

https://imgur.com/user/Will230145
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pensilvanicus
Founding: Lasius Neoniger
Lasius Claviger
Formica subsericea

Will230145
Posts: 133
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:06 am
Location: Grove City PA, US

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31473Post Will230145
Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:19 am

https://imgur.com/gallery/KJBfK



Do the links work?
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pensilvanicus
Founding: Lasius Neoniger
Lasius Claviger
Formica subsericea

Will230145
Posts: 133
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:06 am
Location: Grove City PA, US

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31475Post Will230145
Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:21 am

If the links don't work how do I make them turn blue so you can click on them.
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pensilvanicus
Founding: Lasius Neoniger
Lasius Claviger
Formica subsericea

Will230145
Posts: 133
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:06 am
Location: Grove City PA, US

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31477Post Will230145
Sun Sep 17, 2017 10:09 am

https://500px.com/photo/228526865
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pensilvanicus
Founding: Lasius Neoniger
Lasius Claviger
Formica subsericea

User avatar
Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Lasius

Post: # 31479Post Batspiderfish
Sun Sep 17, 2017 10:31 am

Your queen is Formica, although the species cannot be made out by these pictures. Images showing off the shininess of the whole gaster would help. Lasius niger Is very isolated (probably a different species from the Eurasian variety), and I've never seen a hobbyist find one outside of the Rocky Mountains.

You can use the URL2 brackets (on the right half of the tool bar) around the link to the album:

https://imgur.com/gallery/KJBfK

Or you can use the IMG brackets (the picture button, left-center) on the links to the individual photographs:

Image
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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