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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 20:04:18 GMT 1
Well it has been very warm in Kent today (around 28 degrees ). Well once I got home I went outside to find millions of worker ants all over the place, but when I was on the way in I saw a much larger ant.... A queen! I believe she is Lasius Niger, I caught her and she is now in a test tube. However I searched for ages and found no more ants. I think this is rather strange, as other Lasius Niger colonies still only have alate Larvea. Has one colony just released some alates really early? Any ideas?
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 20:06:45 GMT 1
Good question, will they also start in the Netherlands if they start in the UK?
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 20:18:08 GMT 1
Maybe, I am not to sure. I guees I will have to wait and find out.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 21:19:15 GMT 1
Perhaps a virgin queen from last year was disturbed? Or a colony didn't release their alates last year so are doing now? ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 21:23:27 GMT 1
I dunno, it's strange really. Literally NO othet alates, jsut 1 single queenl.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 21:26:28 GMT 1
Was she being attacked or swarmed?
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 21:31:14 GMT 1
No, she was on her own.
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Post by Myrm on May 23, 2012 21:40:40 GMT 1
I'd be a little sceptical. I went out a few days ago and disturbed the tops of a few nests just to se what was happening. In the LN colonies no pupae at all ,in the myrm rubra a few large Queen Pupae, as one would expect at this time of year as the red ant flies early. I'd give at least a month, depending on the weather ,for the reds to fly and at leat 2-3 for the commons to fly. I'll check again in a few weeks and see where we are. There's just no way you have a'this years LN Queen' though IMO Would have to agree with thistle here. Alates are not born in the nest and then hang around for a few months before flying; it's more a case of they hatch vary much nearer the time. Keeping them for longer is a drain on the colony's resources and space.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 21:42:03 GMT 1
So what do you think this queen is then?
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 21:53:43 GMT 1
maybe she was from last year and was disturbed so moved from her tunnel
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 21:56:39 GMT 1
What does a queen pupae look like? is it just really big because i will look in nests near me. In the m rubra nests the queens are hanging around just below the surface
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 22:02:06 GMT 1
How about a picture of her? Remember that different species of ant have different flight schedules, and there are about 50 different species in the entirety of the UK.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 22:05:00 GMT 1
Yeah, a picture may come tomorow.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 22:07:01 GMT 1
Just has a thought... What if she is a semi-calustral queen? (or how ever you spell it) - one that lays eggs and then forages out of the nest!?!
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2012 22:07:55 GMT 1
If t looks like Lasius niger, then chances are it is not semi claustral, but that's a good thing to point out.
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