| Lasius umbratus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Genus: | Lasius |
| Species: | L. umbratus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lasius umbratus (Nylander, 1846) [1] |
|
Lasius umbratus is a parasitic ant. Queens find a Lasius niger worker ant, kill it to gain its scent and then are able to enter its nest. Once inside it finds and kills the queen. The worker ants will care for her larvae and slowly the colony will become one of Lasius umbratus. [2] 'Umbratus' is Latin for the word 'ghost'.
They are sometimes confused with Lasius flavus (Yellow Meadow Ant) but unlike L. flavus they forage for food on the surface.