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Post by Willow1218 on Aug 8, 2015 11:34:25 GMT
On two seperate occasions now I have seen wingless queens carrying a worker in her jaws. Does anyone know what they are doing? Were the workers alive or dead? What ant species was the queen? They were alive both times, I'm pretty sure they were Lasius niger.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 8, 2015 11:52:36 GMT
Were the workers alive or dead? What ant species was the queen? They were alive both times, I'm pretty sure they were Lasius niger. Not sure why they would do this then, though I have seen queens pick up males to presumably use as food or maybe just to ensure they get a mate.
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Post by Willow1218 on Aug 8, 2015 11:56:11 GMT
They were alive both times, I'm pretty sure they were Lasius niger. Not sure why they would do this then, though I have seen queens pick up males to presumably use as food or maybe just to ensure they get a mate. They were definitely workers which is why I thought it was so strange. Especially as I saw it twice. Both times they disappeared into the grass with the worker.
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Post by Antkeeper on Aug 8, 2015 12:45:09 GMT
I reckon they landed in an established Lasius niger territory and made a run for it. The Queen won the battle with 1x worker...
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Post by Willow1218 on Aug 8, 2015 12:48:35 GMT
I like to think that they were taking them to help look after the brood! If I see it again maybe I could put them in a test tube and see what happens.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 8, 2015 18:51:48 GMT
As I sit at my laptop watching the sun sink slowly into the western horizon, another large Lasius flavus mating flight is taking place right outside our living room window. A pretty sight as they dance in evening sunlight like little golden light bulbs.
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Post by Willow1218 on Aug 9, 2015 13:44:37 GMT
I was in Reading yesterday and they had a Lasius flavus flight too, I managed to collect 9 of them.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 9, 2015 22:33:42 GMT
Saw a formica alate today and it had just landed with brood in its mouth!! Where was this and what species was she?
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 9, 2015 23:20:17 GMT
Worcester, near the warriors ground and I don't know, Fusca maybe??? Seems late for Formica fusca to be flying, and I have never known any winged queen to carry brood from the parent nest, so any eggs must be her own.
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Post by Antkeeper on Aug 18, 2015 9:26:44 GMT
I am currently in Wexford, Ireland @ 10:25am. Lasius niger are flying! Is this strange as it is so early in the day?! The sky is filled with black headed gulls and house martins, beautiful in the countryside and coastline...
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Post by Jenny on Aug 22, 2015 17:24:17 GMT
Flavus flying here again tonight
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Post by Phasenp on Aug 22, 2015 18:07:55 GMT
I'm pretty sure I captured a flavus queen on thursday, as they flew close to a flavius nest and she's a bit brighter than my other niger queens :-)
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Post by Jenny on Aug 22, 2015 18:25:32 GMT
Yes they are yellow on the underside and shine a yellow colour in the sun. They are 3/4 the size of nigers, more difficult to pick up. They both look completely different, as nigers appear chocolate coloured in the sun and huge in comparison.
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Post by Phasenp on Aug 22, 2015 19:33:47 GMT
Thanks Jenny, based on your input I'm very sure this is flavus, as I have several more niger queens to compare with. A tad chocolate with a tint of yellow on the top side and yellow below. I guess you can even see from the picture which is which.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 22, 2015 19:49:24 GMT
As you look at them, the left one is the smaller flavus.
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