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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 18:44:39 GMT 1
Hi! Well today I went to a park and came across a very large lump of wood. From it streamed a steady trail of large, black ants. I instantly thought they were Formica fusca, so I collected some specimens to take home a confirm the identification! I then came across a queen! Of the same species, who I believe is unmated - howver I colected her! Once home i measured them both, there was a bit of a variety in worker size (4mm-6mm). I then compared my queen to my fusca... She is definately not fusca! So after some identifaction reading, I identified them as Lasius Fuligonis, they have a deeply notched head, and are not hairy like Formica lemani. (The other suggestion from the book apart from fusca). Question: Are these ants reliant on others to start a colony, i think I heard they used Lasius Umbratus?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 19:10:56 GMT 1
I think they do use Lasius Umbratus, it would be so great to have a L. Niger for ten years then L. Ubratus then for ten years L. Fuligonis
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 19:12:24 GMT 1
Well, now I am contemplatingwhether the queen/workers are differentspecies...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 19:15:43 GMT 1
are thay native to the uk!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 20:27:35 GMT 1
Yes I believe.. I reckon the workers are indeed fusca, but the queen is definately not, I believe Lasius Fuligonis...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 21:37:06 GMT 1
Pictures!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 21:42:14 GMT 1
Hmm, I will try, tomorow!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 22:34:47 GMT 1
Welli am preaty sure she is un-mated.. Even if she was mated, I have no Lasius Umbratus, ..... (Forgetting that it is me who did the I.D, so not definate, not a scientist! lol
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2012 22:58:30 GMT 1
You can use Lasius niger, too. Try to get some callow workers by capturing some L. niger with brood, then remove the new workers once they've eclosed. Callows don't have colony identity, so the queen should adopt them.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2012 12:11:07 GMT 1
Hmm, well the queen died, I can only assume that she wasn't even mated. Though I gave her to the fusca's (My colony) who took her in and ate her.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2012 20:59:13 GMT 1
I managed to find a colony of Lasius Fuliginosus the other day as well. They had made a huge foraging trail a but like a Messor species. They even looked a bit like Messor with thier giant heads.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2012 21:16:16 GMT 1
These had giant heads too!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2012 11:53:35 GMT 1
I've seen these before. more bolder than lasius niger with circle heads.
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Post by Myrm on Aug 7, 2012 13:38:25 GMT 1
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Post by Myrm on Aug 7, 2012 13:41:03 GMT 1
These had giant heads too!
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