Ant Id

[millsons]

First Sorry if this is in the wrong section, I could not find an ant ID Section.

Hello 

I have picked up 2 queens today after the raining showers this morning and hot weather during the day, but I need someone to help ID them for me as this is the first time I am keeping ants. I have looked around and I am guessing that they are Lasius niger. 

Queen 1:
www.dropbox.com/s/ruhmvgphipeh575/Photo%2023-07-2013%2023%2029%2044.jpg

www.dropbox.com/s/86zb6gybjbfvgi5/Photo%2023-07-2013%2023%2030%2044%20%28HDR%29.jpg

Queen 2:
www.dropbox.com/s/sxcfrruhe2roiqg/Photo%2023-07-2013%2023%2031%2054%20%28HDR%29.jpg

www.dropbox.com/s/i0aw9oqrujwfv3b/Photo%2023-07-2013%2023%2032%2039.jpg

Thanks in advanced 
Millsons

[peanuts]

They do look like niger queens to me from your pics.

[Wood~Ant]

Jul 23, 2013 23:08:31 GMT millsons said:

First Sorry if this is in the wrong section, I could not find an ant ID Section.

I have picked up 2 queens today after the raining showers this morning and hot weather during the day, but I need someone to help ID them for me as this is the first time I am keeping ants. I have looked around and I am guessing that they are Lasius niger. 

We don't have an ID board for ant species here, and to be honest any forum which creates a board for this subject is just asking for trouble, as even with photos experts cannot always identify which species they are looking at, as to be 100% sure you need a dead specimen so you can look at it under a good microscope.

As we don't have any trained entomologists who are currently active on the forum, it is always a guessing game naming an ant from a photo or description.
That said, it is a fairly safe assumption that what you have are Lasius niger due to the recent flights across the UK; but they may possibly be some other species?  What I can say with certainty is that both your photos show queen ants belonging to the Lasius genus. Most likely L. niger, but this is just a guess, though it is maybe 87% correct. 

[millsons]

Hello 

Thanks for both of your replies. 

I understand what your saying about it is hard to ID but all I want was a rough opinions, Which you gave me. At least now  I know that that they won't sting me if they escape lol. 


Thanks for your replies millsons 

[honeypotant]

Your photo links aren't working Millsons 

[michaelofvancouver]

Aug 31, 2013 15:21:16 GMT honeypotant said:

Your photo links aren't working Millsons 

Yeah, Dropbox says there's nothing there!