Unidentified ant...I think

ExposingTheWild · #1 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 12:33 AM

Hello, I picked up a rock and under it was various species of insects including small run of the mill ants (if there is such a thing).

There were also these (picture) I filmed them hence the strange photo border and I was wondering if anyone could identify them for me.

The are approximately 8-12mm in length. One was roaming around in the hole left by the rock and there were at least 3 others in this small hole shown in the picture. They were all bottom up but were trying to burrow or escape rather than spray.

In two words I would describe them as 'fat ants'. I originally thought queen but I don't think there would be 3 or for of them and so far away from the colony, of which there was one nearby (about 50cm away).

Thank you in advance.

faz · #2 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 12:38 AM

looks like wood ant to me

but i am no expert on ants at all

Jason Green · #3 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 01:30 AM

Morning EtW,

I'd need a bigger picture to be more certain (easier said than done, I know!), but they look like Quuens, having just lost their wings post-mating and looking to seek new territory - but I'll happily hand this over to an ant expert to continue!

Probably Lasius sp., I'd think.

Take care,

Jason

faz · #4 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Morning EtW,

I'd need a bigger picture to be more certain (easier said than done, I know!), but they look like Quuens, having just lost their wings post-mating and looking to seek new territory - but I'll happily hand this over to an ant expert to continue!

Probably Lasius sp., I'd think.

Take care,

Jason

so is that queen wood ant lol

i no erxpert

JRsbugs · #5 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 02:27 AM

Queen ants do swarm when they are ready to mate, they then chew off their wings or the workers do it for them.

Each new queen will find a new spot for her nest, but not all will survive, some will be eaten by predators.

Lasius niger had a very well developed colony in a greenhouse at my neighbours, under the concrete slabs. They always swarm in mid July, this year the greenhouse was moved to my garden but the ants were still living under the slabs and still swarmed in mid July. I often ended up with some living in the bottom of pots.

On the 22nd of this month I saw a winged queen ant next to my pond, there had been a small nest of a dark ant there which might have been Lasius niger but I'm not sure, there was also a yellow ant nest which was moved as best could be to another spot when the pond was dug out last year.

The winged queen went under the slabs I have around the pond, there's always some ants wandering around there. She was around 10mm long, I got one quick shot of her but she doesn't look like Lasius niger, the head is quite small compared. Once the queen goes underground wingless she remains there as an ant producing machine. Mine still had wings so might have been looking for a new nesting spot.

I found another wingless queen not long ago on my back door, walking around, so I put her on the brick path where she might have been able to make a nest, I have had a nest there before and there is at present a nest I saw being made several weeks ago. That queen looked like Formica fusca, which I also have, I got a couple of pics of her too, it was on 9th August. The queen is quite rounded and shiny, I wonder if yours is Formica fusca.

Janet

ExposingTheWild · #6 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 08:40 AM

Hi Janet and everyone else that posted.

I have asked a few other people and they have all said queen ant. Having looked at the link from Janet I am pretty sure that that is what it is (Formica fusa).

The description also sounds correct. The only thing that might contradict this ID is the fact there is no wood around. They are on the river bank!

Sorry if that messes things up.

Kind Regards

Samuel
ETW

JRsbugs · #7 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 01:09 PM

I found my first Formica fusca near the roadside drain which is part of my garden, around a flowering cherry tree which I know has a very sandy-sandstone outcrop around the roots.

Read about Fusca species on wiki, they say most like to have more sun and wouldn't survive in shaded wooded areas, in fact many prefer treeless grasslands or shrublands (although it says F. fusca is shade tolerant).