Metro-Detroit, Michigan August 17, 2018

[Fmsnook]

I have 2 different species of Ant Queens that I would like identified if anyone could help! These are photos of the first species, about 11mm in length, very feisty. Also she is dark brown in color with a lighter colored head.




This is the second species. They all seem to want to pull on the cotton, one photo is one we caught still with wings, the rest have pulled theirs off already. They are a goldish auburn color, some a little more brown. about 9-10mm in length. They have all been relatively calm since put in the test tubes.

[Ninjamuffin52]

I just caught one today in northern Ohio and it looks quite a bit like your second species. I have no idea what it is, this is my first ant too and I posted asking for ID help too. Mine is only 1.5 millimeters, but if you get an answer for it I think it’ll be the same for mine. How did you get the pictures in the post?

[Batspiderfish]

The first queen is Lasius latipes, a social parasite.

http://www.formiculture.com/topic/3252-much-ado-about-the-founding-of-lasius-temporary-social-parasites/

The other ants are claustral Lasius, but cannot be identified to the species without a close enough view of the hairs on the antennae and the teeth on the mandibles. The coloration of the queen labelled 13 suggests Lasius nearcticus or Lasius brevicornis (formerly Lasius flavus) but we would need to be able to see the above-mentioned details to differentiate them from Lasius neoniger, Lasius pallitarsis, or Lasius americanus. If she is from the flavus group, then only microscopic examination of the maxillary palps can determine the species.

[Fmsnook]

I just caught one today in northern Ohio and it looks quite a bit like your second species. I have no idea what it is, this is my first ant too and I posted asking for ID help too. Mine is only 1.5 millimeters, but if you get an answer for it I think it’ll be the same for mine. How did you get the pictures in the post?

They have a YouTube link that shows you how to add photos to your posts.

[Fmsnook]

The first queen is Lasius latipes, a social parasite.

http://www.formiculture.com/topic/3252-much-ado-about-the-founding-of-lasius-temporary-social-parasites/

The other ants are claustral Lasius, but cannot be identified to the species without a close enough view of the hairs on the antennae and the teeth on the mandibles. The coloration of the queen labelled 13 suggests Lasius nearcticus or Lasius brevicornis (formerly Lasius flavus) but we would need to be able to see the above-mentioned details to differentiate them from Lasius neoniger, Lasius pallitarsis, or Lasius americanus. If she is from the flavus group, then only microscopic examination of the maxillary palps can determine the species.

How did you identify queen 1? I’m just curious so I know what I’m looking for!

[AntnoobSG]

Queen 1 looks like ponera

[Fmsnook]

The first queen is Lasius latipes, a social parasite.

http://www.formiculture.com/topic/3252-much-ado-about-the-founding-of-lasius-temporary-social-parasites/

The other ants are claustral Lasius, but cannot be identified to the species without a close enough view of the hairs on the antennae and the teeth on the mandibles. The coloration of the queen labelled 13 suggests Lasius nearcticus or Lasius brevicornis (formerly Lasius flavus) but we would need to be able to see the above-mentioned details to differentiate them from Lasius neoniger, Lasius pallitarsis, or Lasius americanus. If she is from the flavus group, then only microscopic examination of the maxillary palps can determine the species.

Here is a close up of the head of species 2. This is the closest I could get to focus.

[Batspiderfish]

Here is a close up of the head of species 2. This is the closest I could get to focus.

From what I can tell, there are no erect hairs on the antennal scapes, which would probably make this from the flavus group.

[Batspiderfish]

Social parasites from the Acanthomyops subgenus of Lasius are usually pretty distinct. Lasius latipes almost looks like an ant crossed with a lobster.

[Fmsnook]

Here is a close up of the head of species 2. This is the closest I could get to focus.

From what I can tell, there are no erect hairs on the antennal scapes, which would probably make this from the flavus group.

A friend of mine thought this might have been a winter ant? Do you think that’s a possibility?