planet of the ants part 1 - Lasius claviger - BugGuide.Net

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Photo#460355

Copyright © 2010 Molly Jacobson

planet of the ants part 1 - Lasius claviger -

Merrimack, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA
September 18, 2010

One of three photos depicting the one-day swarm of ants in my neighborhood. This swarm happens every year in fall, but only now have I been able to capture it in photo form. If you stepped outside, you'd get ants in your face. And I did. Because I made the mistake of riding my bike outside that afternoon.
It seems that there are different kinds of ants in this swarm. I saw this one, bright orange ones, and bulky ones with big jaws. Are they different ant species? Ants from the same colony?
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Contributed by Molly Jacobson on 30 September, 2010 - 3:01pm
Last updated 20 August, 2015 - 1:38pm

Species ID?

How did you determine the species? Could they be a different member of the genus? Furthermore L. claviger parasitizes other Lasius ants. Could this be one of the hosts?
I don't know much about these ants; I just want to know how the determination was made. Also, how do you tell a male from a queen?

… Beatriz Moisset, 2 October, 2010 - 4:30pm

well

I moved this to species and added the gender because someone else told me that these ants were all the same species. The comment is on the other photo. I don't know much about ants either.

… Molly Jacobson, 2 October, 2010 - 4:36pm

I see

So James Trager made the determinations, good!

… Beatriz Moisset, 2 October, 2010 - 5:03pm

Moved

Moved from Ants.

… Molly Jacobson, 2 October, 2010 - 7:43am

Lasius is common

In my limited experience the common fall swarming ants are Lasius. Other reproductives I have seen are either one or two at a time (e.g. Formica, Camponotus) or common in spring (Prenolepis).

… John F. Carr, 30 September, 2010 - 8:16pm

Ant swarms

You can learn a little about ant swarms here.

… Beatriz Moisset, 30 September, 2010 - 3:31pm

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