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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 6, 2015 19:52:01 GMT
3 days ago while changing a a wheel on the other halfs car I noticed a queen flying ant on the road. I thought it was pretty unusual as it's very early. It was a Lasius queen, smaller than Niger. Anyway I didn't take much notice of it. Later that day I found a small male on my kitchen floor, again I thought it was very unusual for the time of year. Now today while sat in my garden I noticed what look like a jumping spider on my fence. I got up to take a closer look and realised it was a wingless Lasius queen. It seems smaller than Lasius Niger and not as yellow as Flavus. Anyone have any idea what is flying this time of year? I have taken in captivity by the way so can try get some pics
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 6, 2015 21:08:41 GMT
Do you happen to have clear close up photo of this species? It might help to identify what ant you've found.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 7, 2015 6:52:43 GMT
3 days ago while changing a a wheel on the other halfs car I noticed a queen flying ant on the road. I thought it was pretty unusual as it's very early. It was a Lasius queen, smaller than Niger. Anyway I didn't take much notice of it. Later that day I found a small male on my kitchen floor, again I thought it was very unusual for the time of year. Now today while sat in my garden I noticed what look like a jumping spider on my fence. I got up to take a closer look and realised it was a wingless Lasius queen. It seems smaller than Lasius Niger and not as yellow as Flavus. Anyone have any idea what is flying this time of year? I have taken in captivity by the way so can try get some pics Are you sure it is a Lasius species, as this genus tends to fly later in July or August. Tetramorium caespitum flies in June here in Britain, and is a small brownish ant similar in colour to Lasius niger. |
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 8, 2015 6:11:00 GMT
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 8, 2015 6:12:02 GMT
Got this pic, about as good as I can get with an iPhone camera sorry! Looks smaller/slimmer than Lasius niger to me
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 8, 2015 6:32:52 GMT
Got this pic, about as good as I can get with an iPhone camera sorry! Looks smaller/slimmer than Lasius niger to me Good enough for me. Her shape tells me you probably have a Tetramorium queen there Jeoff. What part of Britain do you live in? If you're down south then it they are quite common in many counties, but it would be nice to know what county you live in.  |
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 8, 2015 6:48:56 GMT
I live in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire. I think we might have a nest of these ants in my garden. I have a video that I took a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was pretty unusual behaviour and couldn't explain what they was doing.
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 8, 2015 6:54:45 GMT
No food present, no eggs, no queen, I have no idea what they was doing! This was May 2015
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 8, 2015 6:55:43 GMT
Tetramorium caespitum is found as far up as Norfolk, so I think that clinches it for me. Having lived in Milton Keynes in the early 1980's and knowing the local woods and heaths around there, I am now sure this is what you have found.
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Post by Miles on Jun 8, 2015 6:59:41 GMT
As a long time Tetramorium keeper, I am not convinced that they are what you have. Could you possibly get another picture of her?
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 8, 2015 7:11:31 GMT
Yer I can get some pics this evening. It's hard to get a decent picture though. I'll try! What else would be flying this time of year though? It was not the only one I have seen over the space of a couple of days.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 8, 2015 7:21:18 GMT
Definitely not Lasius though, but another possibility could be Solenopsis, though it seems a bit early for them to fly in early June?  |
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 8, 2015 7:48:59 GMT
Hopefully the queen will start a colony and then we will see. I'm gonna go with Lasius brunneus. Seen a few of these around the area.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 8, 2015 8:13:42 GMT
Hopefully the queen will start a colony and then we will see. I'm gonna go with Lasius brunneus. Seen a few of these around the area. This is a photo of L. brunneus, click to see bigger.  |
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 8, 2015 8:56:14 GMT
Just thinking, it could be a queen that has been cohabiting with other queens over winter and has now left to start a colony.
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