|
|
Post by bobdol on May 11, 2012 18:18:40 GMT
I was actually really suprised at how many people on the American forums find parasitic Lasius species as in Britain they are so hard to find - especially a young queen. It would be a rare occurunce to catch one in the UK but I guess if you put the time in you may find one:P!
|
|
|
|
Post by batspiderfish on May 11, 2012 18:26:06 GMT
Out of curiosity, what times do people usually go anting in the UK?
|
|
|
|
Post by Black Ant on May 11, 2012 18:33:01 GMT
Out of curiosity, what times do people usually go anting in the UK? Do you mean time of day or which month  |
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on May 11, 2012 18:39:13 GMT
To be honest I have never found any newly mated umbratus queens, or for that matter any nests of them anywhere around here. The only ants in a 7 mile radius are L. flavus, L. niger and Myrmica rubra. There are Formica species beyond that distance, plus a few other species/genera; but umbies seem to prove very elusive. |
|
|
|
Post by batspiderfish on May 11, 2012 18:48:39 GMT
Both the time of day and month are important details.
I find that species show up during nuptial flights that I can't find in the wild. I have scoured the area for the Formica aserva nests which have produced so many alates I see in the summer, but I have never found them. Some ants like Stenamma and Ponera, you would never know were there unless you accidentally dug them up or witnessed their nuptial flight. So even if you can't find the species when they aren't flying doesn't mean they are not present. Some ants are hard to find, some ants are harder to find, and some are incredibly easy to find.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on May 11, 2012 18:52:31 GMT
Try telling the umbratus that ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by batspiderfish on May 11, 2012 18:58:18 GMT
Haha! I'm not going to try to tell you what ants are near you and what ants aren't from the other side of the Atlantic, but I've always found it incredibly hard to believe that despite the 50 or so recorded native species for the entirety of Britain, nobody seems to be able to find more than 5 or 6 in their area, regardless of their location.
I've managed to find at least half of the ants in my location (which, granted, is a warmer and more diverse area than in the UK), but before I put some serious effort into it, I was in the "5 or 6 ants" club. I can't help but feel that the choice to purchase ants puts less incentive in exploration and the search for them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on May 11, 2012 19:04:18 GMT
With the weather and my age going against me, my trouble is finding the energy to put the serious effort into ant hunting these days BSF. Oh to be young and have good eyesight like you  |
|
|
|
Post by batspiderfish on Jul 14, 2012 18:59:57 GMT
A quick video of my new Lasius (Acanthomyops) interjectus Lasius subumbratus colony. I can't count this as a successful colony until one of the queens begins to lay eggs, but so far, things look promising. |
|
|
|
Post by batspiderfish on Jul 23, 2012 0:18:16 GMT
Whoops! Looks like I made a little misidentification of the queen(s) in my last video. Examination of the maxillary palps (three segments would indicate Acanthomyops (claviger group)) has shown this is actually a Chthonolasius (umbratus group) species. After doing some research, I am thinking this is Lasius subumbratus. There are very few images of the female of this species on the internet. >.<
|
|
