Identification

Help with identifying the species your ants

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CombinedHalo467
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Identification

Post: # 84471Post CombinedHalo467
Mon Oct 25, 2021 4:09 pm

Now I know identification isnt really possible without pictures but can anyone give me information on when lasius umbratus fly because I caught a queen in early october but she kinda looks like it and then if so any recommendtions for her care would be good. She is going to hibernate I think so I gave her some honey and she almost immediatly drank from it and she only really ever stays on the wet part of the cotton and she still has her wings which I find wierd.
A prenolepis imparis colony with repletes and a big queen also 10 chickens and 1 annoying brother.

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CombinedHalo467
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Re: Identification

Post: # 84488Post CombinedHalo467
Tue Oct 26, 2021 8:06 am

Do you think it would be possible to introduce tetramorium pupae instead of lasius as I dont know where any colonies of lasius are and if so then hpw many shouldI give to her like maybe 5-10 I really have no idea but its freeing at night now and I fear she would die if I release her
A prenolepis imparis colony with repletes and a big queen also 10 chickens and 1 annoying brother.

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SYUTEO
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Re: Identification

Post: # 84489Post SYUTEO
Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:43 am

I don't think so, however there are some reports of successfully creating a multi-species colony in captivity. You can give her some pupae of a captive Lasius colony if you have one.

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CombinedHalo467
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Re: Identification

Post: # 84490Post CombinedHalo467
Tue Oct 26, 2021 1:23 pm

I dont have a lasius colony so that isnt good but i might ust try to insert some pupae and see how it goes becasue if she adopts them like she might in the wild it could work the only thing is that if she recognizes its tetramorium but ill give it a shot and see if it works.
A prenolepis imparis colony with repletes and a big queen also 10 chickens and 1 annoying brother.

Ants Are Awesome

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CombinedHalo467
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Location: wisconsin usa

Re: Identification

Post: # 84492Post CombinedHalo467
Tue Oct 26, 2021 2:55 pm

Part success because I finally managed to find a tetramorium colony that wasnt hibernating or underground so I gathered some pupae(sorry ants). But when I put them in with the queen she touhed them with her antenna and ran away from the 5 I placed in. Im going to give her a couple days to adjust and at the very least she might eat them but im hoping she wil adopt them and they will hatch soon because 2 are very dark and ready to eclose I think, I really hope I made the right choice.
A prenolepis imparis colony with repletes and a big queen also 10 chickens and 1 annoying brother.

Ants Are Awesome

SYUTEO
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Re: Identification

Post: # 84496Post SYUTEO
Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:19 pm

Hope you succeed.

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antnest8
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Re: Identification

Post: # 84509Post antnest8
Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:18 pm

CombinedHalo467 wrote:
Tue Oct 26, 2021 2:55 pm
Part success because I finally managed to find a tetramorium colony that wasnt hibernating or underground so I gathered some pupae(sorry ants). But when I put them in with the queen she touhed them with her antenna and ran away from the 5 I placed in. Im going to give her a couple days to adjust and at the very least she might eat them but im hoping she wil adopt them and they will hatch soon because 2 are very dark and ready to eclose I think, I really hope I made the right choice.
Yikes!! I'm glad that things are starting to go well, but it is unheard of for any inter-species brood boosting to work, outside of a parasite or slave keeping species it was specifically evolved to capture. It is likely the queen will eat the brood, but if not there could be danger to your queen! When the workers eclose (I don't even know if they can without help, even without cocoons) they will most likely attack the queen or vise versa.
You can continue if you want, but I would be in the name of science and not your queens safety.

To answer your previous question however, Lasius Umbratus is a VERY common social parasite species and are easy to find from August-May. Even in the winter months you can find them under rocks while waiting for spring. This is due to social parasites having a low success chance with hijacking enemy colonies. Each social parasite has one or possibly two specific species of ants that they will hijack. This was created by the parallel evolution of these species.

I would look to find a Lasius colony, In the spring if you have to, just make sure to feed your queen some sugar every once in a while (one or two months)
Some of My Informative Sheets
https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=19099
Includes :
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    Queen Hunting
    How To Identify Ants
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CombinedHalo467
Posts: 149
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Re: Identification

Post: # 84513Post CombinedHalo467
Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:49 pm

yea i feel bad but I really dont got a lot of hope for her ayway ill just hibernate her probably and find a lasius olony in the spring
A prenolepis imparis colony with repletes and a big queen also 10 chickens and 1 annoying brother.

Ants Are Awesome

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CombinedHalo467
Posts: 149
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:38 pm
Location: wisconsin usa

Re: Identification

Post: # 84514Post CombinedHalo467
Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:08 pm

I took the pupae out because I felt I wa scaring her really bad so I did that and gave her some honey but I saw something interesting it could have been a grain if sand but i thouht i saw 2 larvae with some thing dark inside them(ant milk?) but she also ate 1-2 ofthe pupae i think but im not sure anyways im gonna let her be for a while and let her sttle and hibernate because shes starting to pull at the cotton.
A prenolepis imparis colony with repletes and a big queen also 10 chickens and 1 annoying brother.

Ants Are Awesome

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